Croak Means a Frog's Call and, in Slang, to Die
To croak is to make a deep hoarse sound. As slang it means to die, and the two senses sit oddly close together.
To croak is to make a deep hoarse sound, as a frog or a raven does. The slang sense — to die — is nineteenth-century and comes from the death rattle, the hoarse breathing sometimes heard in the dying. It is one of a set of English euphemisms that describe a physical detail rather than name the event: *kick the bucket*, *snuff it*, *pop your clogs*. A hoarse-voiced person is said to croak too.
- A frog's or raven's call. *Frogs croaked.*
- To speak hoarsely. *He croaked a reply.*
- To die (slang). *The old man croaked.*
- Croaky — hoarse. *A croaky voice.*
- Croaker — a fish that grunts. *An Atlantic croaker.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | croak | Frogs croak. |
| Past | croaked | It croaked. |
| Noun | croak | A low croak. |
| Adjective | croaky | A croaky voice. |
| Related | creak | A creaking hinge. |
- Frogs croaked all evening by the pond.Animals.
- She croaked out a few words.Hoarse.
- The slang sense means to die.Register warning.
English euphemisms for dying
- Croak — from the sound of laboured breathing
- Kick the bucket — origin disputed, possibly a slaughter beam
- Snuff it — like a candle being put out
- Pop your clogs — British, possibly from pawning your shoes
- Pass away — the neutral, polite phrase
Middle English, of imitative origin, related to *creak* and *crow*. The slang sense of dying dates from the early 1800s.
Why does croak mean to die?
From the hoarse breathing sometimes heard in the dying. It is informal and can sound callous.
Do only frogs croak?
No. Ravens and crows croak, and a person with a hoarse voice can be said to croak.