English Explanatory Dictionary

go down in flames

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb

To fail miserably and with long-term consequences.
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see go, down, in, flames: descend while aflame, crash and burn, etc.

Pronunciation

en-au-go down in flames.ogg

Word forms

go down in flames goes down in flames going down in flames went down in flames gone down in flames

Etymology

The figurative sense is by metaphor from the literal sense. Attested since the early 20th century, ever since aeroplanes appeared but especially since World War I, when shooting them out of the sky first became a widespread thing.

Synonyms

crash and burn

Related words

aflame go up in flames in flames

← go cups
← go dark
← go deep
← go down
← go down fighting

go down in history →
go down like a cup of cold sick →
go down like a cup of sick →
go down like a lead balloon →
go down like a lead zeppelin →

This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.

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