better to be late than be dead on time

phrase

It is better to arrive late than to risk one's life speeding to a destination.

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Meanings

phrase
  1. It is better to arrive late than to risk one's life speeding to a destination.

Origin

A play on the term "dead on time" meaning exactly on time, but also meaning deceased.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

better to be late than be dead on time. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/better%20to%20be%20late%20than%20be%20dead%20on%20time

MLA

“better to be late than be dead on time.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/better%20to%20be%20late%20than%20be%20dead%20on%20time. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “better to be late than be dead on time,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/better%20to%20be%20late%20than%20be%20dead%20on%20time.

Source: better to be late than be dead on time on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.