"eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die" meaning in English

See eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Proverb

Etymology: A conflation of two Biblical references: * Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry * Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we [shall] die A direct quote from the Book of Mormon: * Yea, and there shall be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us. Head templates: {{en-proverb}} eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die
  1. Life is short, so you should enjoy it while you can.
    Sense id: en-eat,_drink_and_be_merry_for_tomorrow_we_die-en-proverb-KJ8KWhbF Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 75 25 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 76 24 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 76 24
  2. In speaking pejoratively of epicurean beliefs. Related terms: eat, drink and be merry, here for a good time, not a long time
    Sense id: en-eat,_drink_and_be_merry_for_tomorrow_we_die-en-proverb-4G2IxFiZ Categories (other): English imperative sentences, English proverbs Disambiguation of English imperative sentences: 40 60 Disambiguation of English proverbs: 42 58
{
  "etymology_text": "A conflation of two Biblical references:\n* Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry\n* Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we [shall] die\nA direct quote from the Book of Mormon:\n* Yea, and there shall be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die",
      "name": "en-proverb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "proverb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "75 25",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "76 24",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "76 24",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1977, Bartlett Jere Whiting, Early American Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, →ISBN, page 127:",
          "text": "But are more inclined to take for their guide the maxim of \"a penny saved is a penny got\" than that of \"let us eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.\"",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1996, “Tripping Billies”, in Remember Two Things, performed by Dave Matthews Band:",
          "text": "Eat, drink, and be merry / For tomorrow, we'll die / Cause we're tripping billies",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2011, Mack Reynolds, Tomorrow Might Be Different, →ISBN:",
          "text": "Vovo said, only half arguing, \"Who can you point out that ever profited by this moderation teaching? Who inhistory every got anywhere practicing moderation. Some say you must live to the hilt. Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die.”",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013, Carvel Collins, Fighting With Purpose: I'm in It to Win It, →ISBN, page 106:",
          "text": "The younger decided to leave and live the fast life and be carefree—eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Life is short, so you should enjoy it while you can."
      ],
      "id": "en-eat,_drink_and_be_merry_for_tomorrow_we_die-en-proverb-KJ8KWhbF"
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "40 60",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English imperative sentences",
          "parents": [
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          "source": "w+disamb"
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          "_dis": "42 58",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
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      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1815, Thomas Scott, The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments : with original notes, practical observation, and copious marginal references, page 35:",
          "text": "Instead of saying as the epicure, \"let us eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die;\" or on the other hand, murmuring against the appointments of God, and indulging our vain objections; let us seek for a lively hope, a submissive will, and a contented mind",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1830, Joseph Smith Jr., chapter 28, in The Book of Mormon^(https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Book_of_Mormon_(1981)/2_Nephi#Chapter_28), 2 Nephi:",
          "text": "Yea, and there shall be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us. And there shall also be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God—he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "In speaking pejoratively of epicurean beliefs."
      ],
      "id": "en-eat,_drink_and_be_merry_for_tomorrow_we_die-en-proverb-4G2IxFiZ",
      "links": [
        [
          "epicurean",
          "epicurean"
        ]
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "_dis1": "44 56",
          "word": "eat, drink and be merry"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "44 56",
          "word": "here for a good time, not a long time"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English imperative sentences",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English proverbs",
    "English terms derived from the Bible",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries"
  ],
  "etymology_text": "A conflation of two Biblical references:\n* Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry\n* Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we [shall] die\nA direct quote from the Book of Mormon:\n* Yea, and there shall be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die",
      "name": "en-proverb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "proverb",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "eat, drink and be merry"
    },
    {
      "word": "here for a good time, not a long time"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1977, Bartlett Jere Whiting, Early American Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, →ISBN, page 127:",
          "text": "But are more inclined to take for their guide the maxim of \"a penny saved is a penny got\" than that of \"let us eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.\"",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1996, “Tripping Billies”, in Remember Two Things, performed by Dave Matthews Band:",
          "text": "Eat, drink, and be merry / For tomorrow, we'll die / Cause we're tripping billies",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2011, Mack Reynolds, Tomorrow Might Be Different, →ISBN:",
          "text": "Vovo said, only half arguing, \"Who can you point out that ever profited by this moderation teaching? Who inhistory every got anywhere practicing moderation. Some say you must live to the hilt. Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die.”",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013, Carvel Collins, Fighting With Purpose: I'm in It to Win It, →ISBN, page 106:",
          "text": "The younger decided to leave and live the fast life and be carefree—eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Life is short, so you should enjoy it while you can."
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1815, Thomas Scott, The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments : with original notes, practical observation, and copious marginal references, page 35:",
          "text": "Instead of saying as the epicure, \"let us eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die;\" or on the other hand, murmuring against the appointments of God, and indulging our vain objections; let us seek for a lively hope, a submissive will, and a contented mind",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1830, Joseph Smith Jr., chapter 28, in The Book of Mormon^(https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Book_of_Mormon_(1981)/2_Nephi#Chapter_28), 2 Nephi:",
          "text": "Yea, and there shall be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us. And there shall also be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God—he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "In speaking pejoratively of epicurean beliefs."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "epicurean",
          "epicurean"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die"
}

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This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-02-26 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-02-21 using wiktextract (ce0be54 and f2e72e5). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

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