dead-men’s shoes
Preserved but no longer current.
Property which cannot be claimed until after decease of present holder. "To wait for a pair of DEAD-MEN’S SHOES," is considered a wearisome affair. It is used by Fletcher:—
tài sản chỉ có thể nhận được sau khi người nắm giữ hiện tại qua đời
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “dead-men’s shoes” mean?
Property which cannot be claimed until after decease of present holder. "To wait for a pair of DEAD-MEN’S SHOES," is considered a wearisome affair. It is used by Fletcher:—
Is “dead-men’s shoes” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.