dead man's fingers

A crab hides among the dead man's fingers on the ocean floor.

Definition

Noun (plural): - Botany: "dead man's fingers" refers to a type of fungus (Xylaria polymorpha) that resembles human fingers in shape and color, often found growing on decaying wood. - Marine biology: "dead man's fingers" is also a common name for a soft coral (Alcyonium digitatum) with finger-like lobes, found in cold waters. - Slang (archaic): In informal or historical usage, "dead man's fingers" can refer to the fingers of a corpse, or by extension, something pale, stiff, or morbidly finger-shaped.

Usage Examples

• (The fungus .)
• (The soft coral .)
• (A figurative or superstitious reference.)

Advanced Usage

• "to look like dead man's fingers": to appear pale, thin, or morbidly finger-shaped.
  • The roots of that tree look like dead man's fingers emerging from the soil. (The roots resemble human fingers in shape.)

Variants and Related Words

• Dead man's hand (n): a poker hand consisting of a pair of aces and a pair of eights, supposedly held by Wild Bill Hickok when he was killed.
• Dead man's switch (n): a safety device that activates if the operator is incapacitated.

Synonyms

• Finger fungus: a descriptive term for .
• Stinking fingers: an alternative common name for the fungus due to its odor.

Idioms (Figurative)

• Dead man's fingers (as a metaphor): used to describe something pale, rigid, or ghostly.
  • The icicles hanging from the roof were like dead man's fingers in the moonlight. (A poetic comparison.)