fall flat on one's face
Meaning: To fail completely and embarrassingly.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “The sequel had a huge budget and fell flat on its face at the box office.”
Category: Body & Senses
Origin: Recorded from 1614, at first literally, including for lying face down in reverence. The sense of a humiliating failure came later.
Equivalents in other languages
- French: se casser la figure — literally: to break oneself the figure
- French: Se casser la margoulette — literally: To break one's mug
More idioms — Body & Senses
- one's blood runs cold — To be filled with sudden fear or horror.
- poke one's nose into — To pry or interfere in matters that do not concern one.
- rot one's brain — To dull one's mind through mindless activity.
- put someone back on their feet — To help someone recover, financially, physically or emotionally.
- Aunt Flo is visiting — A euphemism for having one's menstrual period.
- laugh one's head off — To laugh very loudly and for a long time.
More English idioms
- burst someone's bubble — To destroy someone's illusion or happy belief.
- prick up one's ears — To suddenly start listening closely.
- rise from the ashes — To be reborn or rebuilt after destruction or failure.
- stir up a hornet's nest — To cause a lot of trouble or anger, often by provoking people.
- go down fighting — To keep struggling until the very end, even when defeat is certain.
- none of your beeswax — A playful way of saying "none of your business."
From our compliments & insults
- Eres la leche — You're the best — absolutely fantastic.
- Eline sağlık — Praise and thanks to someone — especially a cook — for something made beautifully by hand.
- És uma joia — You're a gem — a precious, lovely person.