pay the debt of nature

pay the debt of nature (third-person singular simple present pays the debt of nature, present participle paying the debt of nature, simple past and past participle paid the debt of nature)

1. (euphemistic) To die.

   Synonym: pay nature's debt

   • 1828, Henry Hunter, Sacred biography, or, The history of the patriarchs, volume 1, page 36:

     The venerable father of the human race had now himself paid the debt of nature.

   • 1850, T. S. Arthur, “Deacon Smith and his Violin”, in Sketches of Life and Character‎^[1], Philadelphia: J. W. Bradley, →OCLC, page 76:

     Ten years after he had seen his son married^[sic], become a church member, and give up his carnal delights, old Deacon Smith paid the debt of nature. His last days he always called his best days.