Tuckered out
Suggest a CorrectionMeaning
Completely tired or deprived of energy. Current, informal, and folksy Regional use: United States, first documented in New England.
Origin
An Americanism from early 19th-century New England. Tucker out is printed in 1836 of a shark and a horse, and tuckered out appears that same year. It probably developed from tuck meaning food, appetite, or the energy supplied by eating: to tucker something out was to exhaust its store. The related take the tuck out of, meaning sap strength or courage, is documented by 1852.
Variants
- all tuckered out
- tucker out
- take the tuck out of
Usage Examples
- After hauling stones uphill all morning, we were thoroughly tuckered out.
- The long delay took the tuck out of even the keenest volunteers.
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