State

[bobsailer]

Why is a corpse laid out in their coffin (as per QEQM) called 'lying in state'? What's the state?

[incitatus]

I believe it was originally "Lying in estate", as in surrounded by the regalia and servants etc. to which they held title in life. It was originated as a means of making sure everyone knew they were dead. At Stalins one it was reputed that the entire Politburo had a knife in their pockets just in case the old swine was faking it.

[JohnPPotts]

That has to be apocryphal - surely you'd be much worse off if he wasn't dead and you'd just stabbed him!