from the cradle to the grave

Idioms & Phrases

from the cradle to the grave

From birth to death, throughout life, as in This health plan will cover you from cradle to grave. Richard Steele used the term in The Tatler (1709): "A modest fellow never has a doubt from his cradle to his grave." [c. 1700]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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