fall off the perch

fall off (one's) perch

slang To die. I hope not to fall off my perch until I'm old and gray.
See also: fall, off, perch
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

fall off the perch

or

fall off your perch

BRITISH, OLD-FASHIONED, INFORMAL
If someone falls off the perch or falls off their perch, they die. Note: A perch is a pole, branch or other place where a bird sits to rest. He fell off the perch years ago. Note: Other verbs such as drop or topple can be used instead of fall. He'll topple off his perch one morning. You know how it is. Note: This expression is used humorously.
See also: fall, off, perch
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
See also:
  • fall off (one's) perch
  • perch
  • fall off
  • fall in on
  • fall in on (someone or something)
  • fall to (one's) lot
  • fall to someone's lot
  • fall within
  • fall within (something)
  • fall by the wayside, to
References in periodicals archive
Spaniard Francisco Mancebo Perez expects his challengers to throw every trick in the book just to see him fall off the perch.
Tour de France vet retains Ronda red jersey
I usually do the old scrubs, chavs or slappers" Actress Sheridan Smith "When they fall off the perch, that's it" Former Commons Speaker Baroness Boothroyd, who wants numbers in the House of Lords to be reduced, calls for an end to the election of hereditary peers to replace those who die
QUOTES OF THE DAY
"When they fall off the perch, that's it" - Former Commons Speaker Baroness Boothroyd, who wants numbers in the House of Lords to be reduced, calls for an end to the election of hereditary peers to replace those who die.
They said what?
He told Ryan Tubridy: "They all seemed to fall off the perch at the same time, and far too young.
Agony over friends dying
From there, it was a short mental jump (small brains make for short distances) to other places in the world where I would like to sail before I fall off the perch. That, of course, is one of the beauties of chartering.
A sailor's bucket list: Chris Caswell looks at his sailor's bucket list and finds a few things he'd like to tick of again and again
"And when you receive the lifetime achievement award like this, it makes you very nervous, like maybe you're going to fall off the perch or something."
Bigelow wins top DGA prize for war drama
"It's just like business and as you move up a ladder people fall off the perch - there are players who'll fall off the perch the higher they go with us.
Football: FIXED ODDITIES; FIRST DIVISION Topsy turvy title race is costing me a fortune says Accies ace Winters
Inheritance tax has been a favourite among Labour supporters because it has always been regarded as a tax on toffs and the successors of the landed gentry when they fall off the perch.
Silence not golden; CHRIS MONCRIEFF OUR MAN IN WESTMINSTER