The phrase ‘Dead Loss’ is used to describe a total loss.
Example of Use: “This car is a dead loss after the accident.”
The origin of the idiom 'dead loss' is believed to have its roots in the 1700s, though no one really knows who used the term first. The word 'dead' originated in Old English, and was first used as an adjective in the 14th century. The word 'loss' originated in Old English as the word 'los', and was first used in the 14th century as well.