Dead as a dodo

Definitions

• something is no longer relevant or useful
  To describe a person, object, or idea that is obsolete or has become extinct, and has no relevance or value in the present or future.

• certainty of death
  To emphasize that someone or something is definitely dead and cannot be revived or brought back to life.

Examples of Dead as a dodo

• The project was dead as a dodo after the CEO presented his new ideas to the board.

  The project was completely failed and abandoned because the CEO's new ideas were so poorly received by the board that it was equivalent to the extinction of the dodo bird.

• The old-fashioned marketing techniques were as dead as a dodo in today's digital age.

  The traditional marketing approaches have become completely obsolete and irrelevant in the current digital era, just like how the dodo bird became extinct due to its inability to adapt to changing circumstances.

• The startup's funding proposal was dead as a dodo the moment the investors heard about the high-risk and uncertain returns.

  The investors immediately rejected the startup's funding proposal due to its high-risk and uncertain returns, which effectively killed the startup's chances of success, just like how the dodo bird became extinct due to the absence of predators in its ecosystem.

• His morale was dead as a dodo after his team failed to deliver the project on time, and he resigned from the company soon after.

  His spirit was completely deflated and demoralized after his team failed to meet the project's deadline, resulting in his eventual resignation from the company, just like how the dodo bird became extinct due to its lack of motivation and survival skills in the face of competition.

• The party was dead as a dodo by eleven o'clock.

  The party seemed to drop dead just like the extinct bird dodo by eleven o'clock as there was no one left dancing or having fun.

• I don't see any point in continuing this conversation, it's as dead as a dodo.

  I think the conversation we're having right now is dying slowly and will eventually die out completely just like the dodo bird.

• His business ideas are as dead as a dodo.

  His business ideas seem so outdated and impractical that it's as if they have gone extinct just like the dodo bird.

• The job market in this town is dead as a dodo.

  The job market in this town has become nonexistent just like the dodo bird that is already extinct.

Conclusion

The idiom "dead as a dodo" is commonly used to describe something or someone that is no longer relevant or useful. This can refer to outdated technology, ideas, or people who are stuck in the past and unable to adapt to current times. It can also be used to emphasize the finality of death, and to convey the idea that there is no hope for revival or resurrection.

The use of the word "dead" in this idiom adds a sense of finality and certainty, emphasizing that the subject is beyond any possibility of coming back to life. The comparison to the dodo, a flightless bird that became extinct in the late 17th century, adds a touch of humor to an otherwise somber phrase.

Origin of "Dead as a dodo"

The dodo was a large, flightless bird that lived on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. It was first discovered by Dutch sailors in 1598, who described it as a "large, clumsy, and flightless bird." Due to its lack of natural predators on the island, the dodo had no fear of humans and was easily hunted to extinction.

The phrase "dead as a dodo" is believed to have originated in the mid-19th century, long after the dodo became extinct. It was first seen in Charles Dickens' novel "Bleak House" in 1852, where he used it to describe a character who had recently died. Since then, it has become a common idiom in the English language, used to describe things that are no longer relevant or certain to be dead.