mortal coil

Definition

The chaos and confusion of life.

Etymology

Alluding to Hamlet. The two senses result from two interpretations of the word coil, one taking it to mean “tumult, confusion, fuss”, the other “case, wrapping”. In either case, the phrase “shuffle off this mortal coil” must mean “die”. Since "shuffle off" is generally taken to mean "get rid of" or "evade" it is likely that in the sense that Shakespeare used it, it was specifically referring to the act of suicide.

Example Sentences

• "[…] [A black swallowtail] does not—as a true insect does—change from worm to grub, and from grub to his mature form, but simply “shuffles off his mortal coil,”—skin, hairs, and leggings all complete, now and then, […] . He then leaves his shuffled-off “mortal coil” hanging upon a fragment of dirty cobweb, as before described."
• "Shakespeare represents the human body under various figures: a coil: a case: a frame: a machine: a vesture: a heft: a motion or puppet: &c. It has been contended that in Hamlet’s speech, the ‘mortal coil’ is the coil, i.e. trouble of turmoil, incident to man’s mortal state: but the analogies are too strong in favor of the ‘mortal coil’ being what Fletcher calls the ‘case of flesh’ (Bonduca, iv. 1)."
• "His soul may have found rest, but “his mortal coil” certainly did not. Unfortunately […] the village “astrologer” informed them that […] they must dig him up, give the customary feast in his honor and have another burial site chosen."