also: ゆきだおれ
collapsing in the street; person dead in the street
Refers to the act of collapsing from exhaustion, illness, or starvation while traveling, or to the resulting dead body. Often used in historical or dramatic contexts.
In the Edo period, it was not uncommon for travelers to collapse and die on the road.
道端に行き倒れの人が倒れていた。
A person was lying dead on the side of the road.
Variant spelling without the okurigana き. Less common but still encountered.