go down in flames en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
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.
Meanings
- (idiomatic) 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.
Near-synonym: crash and burn
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| went down in flames | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| goes down in flames | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| going down in flames | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| gone down in flames | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic |
Relateds
come crashing down · go up in flames · crash down · in flames · aflame