Кабината

Idioms: Sleep With the Fishes

Sleep With the Fishes is a euphemism for dying or death, and committing murder. The expression is said to have been used for the first time in the film 'The Godfather' (1972) – 'Luca Brasi sleeps with

Sleep With the Fishes

A euphemism for dying or death.

Committing murder.

Origin

The expression is said to have been used for the first time in the film 'The Godfather' (1972) – 'Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes' (sleeps at the bottom of the ocean).

In the original text of Mario Puzo's novel 'The Godfather' (1969), the following is written: 'The fish means that Luca Brasi is sleeping on the bottom of the ocean,' he said. 'It's an old Sicilian message.'

A similar expression was also used in Herman Melville's novel 'Moby Dick' – 'when Aquarius, or the Water-bearer, pours out his whole deluge and drowns us; and to wind up with Pisces, or the Fishes, we sleep.' (Melville, Moby Dick, ch. 94).

The murder of the character Luca Brasi from the film 'The Godfather'
The scene with the murder of the character Luca Brasi from the film 'The Godfather'.

More English idioms

English slang

Conversational English with British teachers – 14 hours per week, is part of our courses.

Learn English from home at a time convenient for you:

Online language learning is easy and effective.

You determine the time and place for learning, and the pace of progress.