bite the dust可不是要泥土，也不是吃泥土的意思，其含义有以下两种：
1.失败（一败涂地）；被打败；被摧毁；瓦解；受挫；某东西彻底坏掉了
to fail, or to be defeated or destroyed
类似于现在的一个网络流行语，叫作 “败者食尘”。
I am not going to bite the dust so easily because throughout my life I have been a fighter.
我不会那么容易倒下去的，因为我的一生都是个斗士。
One of the main reasons that he bit the dust so early in his career was because of
his inflated ego.
他在事业上这么早就夭折的一个主要原因是他过于自负。
Rose understands that taking this challenge could lead to her biting the dust and hence refrained from even the conversation.
罗斯明白，接受这个挑战可能会使她一败涂地，因此甚至连谈话都克制不住。
You will only understand the importance of having your family close by when you have to bite the dust. Until then they will remain worthless to you.
只有当你面临失败的时候，你才会明白让家人在你身边的重要性。在那之前，他们对你来说还是毫无价值的。
His career bit the dust when he lost his job.
失业后，他的事业也完蛋了。
My car finally bit the dust.
我的车最终报废了。
Judging by all that noise coming from her car, I'm pretty sure it's about to bite the dust.
鉴于她汽车所发出的噪音，我很确定这辆车要彻底坏了。
I have to go buy a new blender because mine bit the dust today.
我得买个新的果汁机，因为我的今天彻底坏了。
The allegation has caused one lecturer's career to bite the dust.
这项指控断送了一名讲师的前程。
Business cards are the driving licenses of the business world, without which you
may bite the dust.
名片是你在商业世界里的驾驶执照，在这里无照驾驶的后果很严重。
Rowling isn't naming names, but she has said at least two characters will bite the dust.
罗林没有指名道姓，但她指出至少有两个角色会一败涂地。
In the last 30 years many cherished values have bitten the dust
在过去的30年中，许多珍贵的价值观已经消失殆尽。
Another Hollywood golden couple has bitten the dust.
又有一对好莱坞黄金夫妻分道扬镳。
Thousands of small businesses bite the dust every year.
每年有数以千计的小企业倒闭。
2． 死;阵亡；牺牲
We were so lucky to avoid that massive accident—we might have bitten the dust!
我们是如此幸运躲过了那场大事故——我们当时可能在事故中丧生。
Many young soldiers bit the dust in the battle.
许多年轻的战士在那场战斗中牺牲了。
The soldier bit the dust after a very long fight and even at that he managed to take many enemy soldiers with him.
这个士兵经过很长时间的战斗后，终于倒下了，即便如此，他还是设法带走了许多敌军士兵。
其实，这个用法来自源于19世纪，Samuel Butler的作品《The Iliad》：
Grant that my sword may pierce the shirt of Hector about his heart, and that full many of his comrades may bite the dust as they fall dying round him. 《The Iliad》Samuel Butler
但愿我的剑能刺破赫克托的胸膛，当他的许多战友在他身边即将死去时，都能英勇牺牲。《伊利亚特》