dead man walking

British  

noun

1. a condemned man walking from his prison cell to a place of execution

2. informal any person in a doomed or untenable situation, esp one about to lose his or her job

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Example Sentences

In 1995, Penn was lured back to the screen by friend Tim Robbins, earning his first Oscar nomination for the death row tale "Dead Man Walking."

From Barron's

She won the 1996 Best Actress Oscar for "Dead Man Walking", where she played a nun who supports a man sentenced to death.

From Barron's

One involves Isaac Poobalan, rector of St Andrew's Cathedral in Aberdeen, who said he felt like "a dead man walking" because he believes Bishop Dyer tried to drive him out.

From BBC

It was also the setting for the popular book and movie “Dead Man Walking.”

From Salon

She was in the original off-Broadway production of “Steel Magnolias”; has appeared on the series “The Millers,” “The Good Wife” and “Mrs. America”; and has roles in such movies as “August: Osage County,” “Million Dollar Baby,” “The Hours,” “Dead Man Walking” and “Days of Thunder.”

From Los Angeles Times