English Explanatory Dictionary

go over like a lead balloon

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To fail to gain acceptance: to be received poorly.

Word forms

go over like a lead balloon goes over like a lead balloon going over like a lead balloon went over like a lead balloon gone over like a lead balloon go down like a lead balloon

Etymology

Presumably from go over (“to be received”), used as if literally (“to travel above”): a lead balloon would not travel well through the air.

Synonyms

go down like a cup of cold sick

Related words

fly with leaden wings sink like a stone like a fart in church
This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.
Back to search All on G Russian dictionary Dahl dictionary