English Explanatory Dictionary

balloon goes up

English dictionary entry

Meanings

phrase
  1. Something exciting, risky, or troublesome begins.
  2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see balloon, go, up.

Pronunciation

bə-lo͞on′ gōz ŭp′ /bəˌluːn ɡəʊ̯z ˈʌp/ /bəˌlun ɡoʊ̯z ˈʌp/ /bəˌlʉːn ɡəʉ̯z ˈɐp/ En-au-balloon goes up.ogg /bəˌlʉːn ɡɐʉ̯z ˈɐp/ /bəˌlʉn ɡoz ˈʌp/ /baˌluːn ɡoːz ˈəp/

Word forms

balloon goes up

Etymology

Probably from the releasing of a balloon as a signal for an event to begin, possibly popularized by the use of balloons by the British Army during World War I (1914–1918) as a signal for artillery fire to commence.

Related words

when the balloon goes up trial balloon
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