The expression "Kicked the bucket"

[2nd Bat]

In the same morbid line of "bought the farm" where did the expression kicked to bucket come from?

[volkssturm]

Seems like no one knows for sure. Wikipedia has a number a potential explanations.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kick_the_bucket

One interesting theory, which sounds plausible, is that there was a Catholic custom when someone died to put a bucket of holy water at the feet of the corpse. Mourners would dip their fingers in the holy water and sprinkle it on the corpse. You can kind of see how in a time when it was hard to distinguish between dead and in a coma a "corpse" having a final spasm before fully expiring kicking the bucket. At Catholic funerals today the priest sprinkles the casket with holy water.

[2nd Bat]

I like that one and had not heard that theory. I always assumed it had to do with hanging ones self but never thought of a bucket as being tall enough to be effective.