How to Pronounce "dead as a doornail"
expression
DED-uhz-uh DOR-nayl
DED-az-uh DAW-nayl
Definition
Completely, unquestionably dead or lifeless. This is a very old English idiom used to emphasize that something is no longer alive or active in any sense.
IPA Transcription
American English
ˈdɛd/ /ˈæz/, /ˈɛz/ /ˈeɪ/, /ə/ /ˈdɔɹˌneɪɫ
British English
dˈɛd/ /ˈæs/ /æɪ/ /dˈɔːneɪl
Simplified Pronunciation
US
DED-uhz-uh DOR-nayl
UK
DED-az-uh DAW-nayl
Listen in Context
After not watering it for weeks, my plant was dead as a doornail.
The battery in my phone is dead as a doornail.
That old computer is dead as a doornail now.
After the big storm, the city was dead as a doornail at night.