Definition

Verb (transitive, informal): To dispose of something completely and irrevocably; to discard, reject, or eliminate something, often by throwing it away. The phrase implies a final, decisive action to get rid of something unwanted.

Usage

This phrasal verb is used to describe the act of permanently discarding or rejecting an object, idea, or plan. It is informal and often conveys a sense of decisiveness or finality.

Examples

• The manager decided to give the old proposal the deep six and start from scratch.
• I finally gave those old magazines the deep six during spring cleaning.
• The committee gave the controversial plan the deep six after a long debate.

Advanced Usage

The phrase can be used in a figurative sense to mean terminating or canceling something non-physical, such as a project, idea, or habit. * He decided to give his unhealthy eating habits the deep six.

Variants and Related Words

• Deep-six (verb): The more common single-word verb form with the same meaning.
  • We need to deep-six these outdated files.

Synonyms

• Discard
• Jettison
• Scrap
• Dump
• Abandon

Related Idioms

• Throw out: To discard something.
• Toss out: To get rid of something casually.
• Kill (a project/idea): To stop something from proceeding.

Verb

1. toss out; get rid of
   • deep-six these old souvenirs!