go down in flames
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English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Referencing aeroplanes being shot down. Attested since the early 20th century.
Pronunciation[edit]
Audio (AU) (file)
Verb[edit]
go down in flames (third-person singular simple present goes down in flames, present participle going down in flames, simple past went down in flames, past participle gone down in flames)
- (idiomatic) To fail miserably and with long-term consequences.