nail in one's coffin
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Something that might hasten or contribute to one's death, as in Every cigarette you smoke is another nail in your coffin. This expression, alluding to fastening down a coffin lid, is today almost always used for a harmful habit such as tobacco use (giving rise to the slang term coffin nail for a cigar or cigarette). The idea was first expressed in an ode by Pindar (the pseudonym of John Wolcot) in 1792: “Care to our coffin adds a nail, no doubt.”
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Words nearby nail in one's coffin
nailer, nailer joist, nail file, nailhead, nailing strip, nail in one's coffin, nail polish, nail scissors, nail set, nail-sick, nail technician
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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