What Does Bite The Dust Mean?

'Bite the dust' is phrase that means 'fall to the ground, wounded or dead'. This phrase has its origin in Scottish Country. It was first used by an author named Tobias Smollet. In 1750, he used this phrase for the first time in his book, 'Adventures of Gil Blas pf Santillane'. The sentence that occurred in the book is: "We made two of them bite the dust, and others betake themselves to flight". 'Lick the dust' is another phrase which is similar to this phrase.

Another meaning for the phrase is not literal. Thus 'bite the dust' means to lose or fail or get pawned or be unsuccessful or not succeed or fall short or not pass. Other meanings for the phrase 'bite the dust' are: not be up to snuff or not make the grade. There are many other meanings one can make out from this phrase and are cited as: bow or break up or crumble to dust or lose the day or say uncle or drop dead or disintegrate, fall to pieces topple, tumble take the count or succumb.