deader than a doornail

deader than a doornail

Definitively, undeniably dead. (Doornails were hammered in a such a way that they could not be reused.) I poked that squirrel with a stick and, yeah, it's deader than a doornail.
See also: deader, doornail
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • deader
  • doornail
  • (as) dead as a doornail
  • as dead as a doornail
  • dead as a doornail
  • be (as) dead as a doornail
  • (as) dead as a herring
  • herring
  • door
  • (as) dead as mutton
References in periodicals archive
Julie Parrish, R-West Linn, and Mike Nearman, R-Independence, appears to be deader than a doornail.
A few small steps
By the way, as an op-ed piece in last week's Washington Post by New York Life president and CEO Ted Mathes implied, principles-based reserve accounting, appears "deader than a doornail," in the words of one experienced industry lobbyist.
The feds are coming! The feds are coming!
Kevin and I moved forward to find the boar deader than a doornail. At a range of 30 yards, the Winchester Platinum 260-grain sabot slug, propelled by 100 grains of Pyrodex Pellets, had punched through the hog and decimated the boar's lungs.
Going Platinum: Winchester's new sabot round sparkles in the field. (Muzzleloading)
Claims based on oral promises are "deader than a doornail," he says.
Is your lender liable?