What does ‘dead on arrival’ mean?

“The monsoon is here, finally! The people in our building are celebrating.”

“I, for one, am over the moon. Sujatha is throwing a party this weekend, and she…”

“She told me, but I won’t be able to come. I’m busy Sunday.”

“You’re busy Sunday? You mean, ‘I’m busy on Sunday’, don’t you?”

“We’re both right! In informal contexts, it’s acceptable to say, ‘I’m busy Sunday’, without the ‘on’. Americans do it quite often.”

“I see. How about this example? The children’s school reopens Tuesday.”

“Sounds good. But remember such sentences are okay in informal contexts. But they’ll be frowned upon in writing.”

“Especially if it’s a formal email or letter you’re writing.”

“That’s right! Anyway, whether Sujatha’s party is Sunday or on Sunday, I won’t be able to come. Meeting Gautam Sunday evening.”

“How is he doing? I heard that his partner took over his company.”

“He never expected his partner to do it. His ego was punctured, and he…”

“His ego was punctured? Does it mean his ego had a flat tyre?”

“In a sense, yes. ‘Puncture’ has several different meanings. When someone punctures your ego, what he does is to make you lose or weaken your confidence. You begin to have doubts about your ability.”

“That happens whenever I talk to Bala.”

“What do you mean?”

“Every time we have a discussion, he punctures every argument I put forward.”

“It’s not just the argument that you put forward. He punctures everyone’s arguments. By the way, it’s not just arguments that can be punctured. A person’s beliefs, feelings and dreams can also be punctured. For example, Mayank’s love for cricket was punctured when he saw his brother being hit on head by a bouncer.”

“A hit on the head can definitely puncture one’s enthusiasm for the game, I guess. Hemant’s dream of buying a new flat was punctured when the bank turned down his application for a loan.”

“That’s a good example. When I learnt that Revathi was a member of the selection committee, my positive mood was punctured.”

“That’s understandable. Revathi’s cutting remarks have punctured the ego of many candidates.”

“That’s so true! Many people in our company are scared of her. She can be quite nasty when she’s in a bad mood.”

“And her mood is always bad! Do you think Management will accept the changes she’s recommended?”

“Not a chance! I think the proposal is dead on arrival. It needs….”

“Dead on arrival? What are you talking about?”

“It means that it is unlikely to be passed. It’s unlikely to get the required number of votes. It will fail.”

“I see. Where did the expression come from?”

“It was first used with patients who died before they could reach the hospital. The doctors declared my grandfather dead on arrival. The expression is often abbreviated to DOA.”

“Does it have any other meaning?”

“Over the years, it has acquired a figurative meaning. You normally use it to suggest that something – it could be a plan, and idea, proposal, etc. – that is unlikely to be accepted.”

“I see. If you ask me, the bill that the Speaker has tabled is dead on arrival.”

“The peace plan that we put forward yesterday is dead on arrival.”

“That must have punctured your ego!”

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Published – August 10, 2026 08:30 am IST