William and Mary Morris, in The Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins , quote a correspondent who points out that it could come from a standard term in carpentry. If you hammer a nail through a piece of timber and then flatten the en...
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Deader_than_a_door_nail_origi...
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A doornail is a very large studded nail on the outside of old wooden doors, often used to nail on the metal strips which gave the door additional strength.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_a_DOORNAIL_as_in_Dead...
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: I don't think the origin currently given is correct. ... One theory holds that the "doornail" in question was not a nail as we know nails today, ... Then again the 'nail' could be the heavy-handed decorative nails outer doors were studded with, though why these doornails would be regarded as any 'deader' than say,
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www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/10/messages/14.html
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In Reply to: Re: Dead as a doornail posted by ESC on December 11, 2000 ... Then again the 'nail' could be the heavy-handed decorative nails outer doors were studded with, though why these doornails would be regarded as any 'deader' than say, coffin nails is a mystery.
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www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/6/messages/1143.html
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Then again the 'nail' could be the heavy-handed decorative nails outer doors were studded with, though why these doornails would be regarded as any 'deader' than say, coffin nails is a mystery. ... Where did the phrase "deader that a doornail" come from? ... What is the origin of the phrase "done the trick"?
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www.answerbag.com/q_view/56543
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Consider the common phrase, "Deader than a door-nail". An inanimate object, "door-nail", is used as the vehicle to describe a state of "deadness". Does it make sense? Not really, because a door-nail is never alive to begin with. ... I spent some time with this VCM tracing its origin. The OED dates the senior reference at...
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This page will hopefully be a growing explanation of the source of old sayings like "the whole kit & kaboodle", "land sakes", "what the Sam Hill", "Heaven's to Betsy", "deader than a doornail", etc. ... Some of these can be found by searching www.google.com (e.g. "cliche origin"), or try www.phrases.org.uk.
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www.jdhartsell.com/sayings.html
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