feet first

feet first

1. With one's feet entering something before the rest of one's body. You always want to jump into the shallow end feet first—diving could severely injure your head. It's probably easier to get into the crawlspace feet first.
2. As or in the manner of a dead person. They knew that the only way the gunman was leaving the building was feet first. If you mess up this deal, you'll be going home feet first!
See also: feet, first
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

ˌfeet ˈfirst

(informal) dead or unconscious: If you want me to leave this house, you’ll have to carry me out feet first (= you’ll have to kill me first).
See also: feet, first
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • get a load off (one's) feet
  • get a load off one’s feet
  • drag (one's) feet
  • drag one's feet
  • drag your feet
  • drag your feet/heels
  • walk (one's) feet off
  • walk feet off
  • regain (one's) feet
  • regain feet
References in classic literature
Then the priest felt a large hand dragging him feet first out of the cell; it was there that he was to die.
"I said to her: "Honour's always been honour, and honesty honesty, in Manson Mingott's house, and will be till I'm carried out of it feet first,'" the old woman had stammered into her daughter's ear, in the thick voice of the partly paralysed.
This was no sooner done, than Sikes, mounting upon him, put Oiver gently through the window with his feet first; and, without leaving hold of his collar, planted him safely on the floor inside.
But she righted herself in mid-air and descended feet first. Ordinarily, from such a height, the spring in her legs would have eased the shock of impact with the ground.
They ain't a soul'll get out the room except feet first."
Presently he saw Mowgli's head move against the stars, and then there was a whizz in the air, the keen, clean schloop of a body falling feet first, and next minute the boy was at rest again in the loop of Kaa's body.
Then he ran as he had never run in his life before, spurned aside one--two-- three of the piles of stones into the dark, sweet-smelling gullies; heard a roar like the roar of the sea in a cave; saw with the tail of his eye the air grow dark behind him; saw the current of the Waingunga far below, and a flat, diamond- shaped head in the water; leaped outward with all his strength, the tailless dhole snapping at his shoulder in mid-air, and dropped feet first to the safety of the river, breathless and triumphant.
Turning off the light in his room so that it might not betray him, he went out the port-hole feet first. His shoulders stuck, and he forced himself back so as to try it with one arm down by his side.
Casting a look of reproach at me for having beguiled him from his watchfulness, he went over the side, feet first, turning over after he got under and following his line down to bottom.
They elevated the end of the hatch-cover with pitiful haste, and, like a dog flung overside, the dead man slid feet first into the sea.
Petkov took around three hours to worm his way along through the water, face-up and feet first, before he emerged on the shore in the ancient town of Ohrid, a popular holiday resort.
Our Putting Feet First campaign aims to raise awareness of the risk of foot problems and amputation for people living with diabetes.
The Leprosy Mission's Feet First project has won UK Aid Match funding meaning from 1 June to 31 August 2015 every pound donated will be matched by the UK government.
"He went in feet first with his arms out to the side," dad-of-two Wayne said.