he has supped all his porridge
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Eaten his last meal; he is dead. Keep your breath to cool your porridge. A rude remark made to one who is giving un- wanted or unsought advice.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “he has supped all his porridge” mean?
Eaten his last meal; he is dead. Keep your breath to cool your porridge. A rude remark made to one who is giving un- wanted or unsought advice.
Is “he has supped all his porridge” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.