knock on heaven's door

verb

To die or be close to death.

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Meanings

verbknock on heaven's door (third-person singular simple present knocks on heaven's door, present participle knocking on heaven's door, simple past and past participle knocked on heaven's door)

present singular third person knocks on heaven's door · participle present knocking on heaven's door · participle past knocked on heaven's door · past knocked on heaven's door

  1. idiomaticTo die or be close to death.

    I had knocked on heaven's door but they didn't let me in!

    2011, Lesley Ann Eden, Beyond Belief in the Land of Rhythm, page 200
    1 more example

    During my stay in the high dependency ward I also knocked on heaven's door. At one point I had to be resuscitated and after being resuscitated I found one of the resuscitation discs still on my chest.

    2022, Jack Woodside, P.O.S.H. Portside Out – Starboard Home My Life Story
Cite this entry
APA

knock on heaven's door. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/knock%20on%20heaven's%20door

MLA

“knock on heaven's door.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/knock%20on%20heaven's%20door. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “knock on heaven's door,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/knock%20on%20heaven's%20door.

Source: knock on heaven's door on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.