What Does “wouldn’t be caught dead” mean?
Definition:
If you wouldn’t be caught dead doing something, you would never do it because you would feel ashamed or embarrassed
Origin
This phrase dates back to the 1900s.
The idea that even if you were dead, you wouldn’t like to be seen or caught doing something may seem illogic. But the phrase still makes sense. It shows the enormity of the embarrassment felt. The metaphor demonstrates that one would not do something because just because it is bad, but also because it may cause some sort of shame or embarrassment. This implies that because of the shame or embarrassment one may feel if caught, seen, or found doing something, one wouldn’t do it whether alive or dead.
Other variations of the phrase include:
– wouldn’t be seen dead.
– wouldn’t be found dead.
Example(s)
I would not be caught dead in such a miniskirt.
He wouldn’t be caught dead in a place like this.
Politicians wouldn’t be caught dead doing anything that might destroy their image.