join the choir invisible

English

Etymology

From a poem by George Eliot, O May I Join the Choir Invisible.

Verb

join the choir invisible (third-person singular simple present joins the choir invisible, present participle joining the choir invisible, simple past and past participle joined the choir invisible)

1. (intransitive, chiefly humorous, euphemistic) To die.
   • 1969 December 7, “Full Frontal Nudity”, in Monty Python's Flying Circus‎^[1], season 1, episode 8, spoken by Mr Praline (John Cleese), Dead Parrot sketch:

     This parrot is no more. It has ceased to be. It's expired and gone to see its maker. This is a late parrot. It's a stiff. Bereft of life, it rests in peace. If you hadn't nailed it to the perch it would be pushing up the daisies. It's run down the curtain and joined the choir invisible. This is an ex-parrot.

   • 2005, Sean Dooley, The Big Twitch, Sydney: Allen and Unwin, page 30:

     Made me wonder whether I should invest in a portable MRI unit to monitor birds about to join the choir invisible for any signs of brain activity.