go down like a lead balloon
To become an utter failure or something that causes displeasure. A: "How do you think everyone will react to the lack of bonuses this year?" B: "Oh, that news will go down like a lead balloon!" The entrepreneur's idea went down like a lead balloon at the shareholders' meeting. If you go before constituents with nothing but excuses, that will definitely go down like a lead balloon.
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go down like a lead balloon
If something goes down like a lead balloon, people do not like it at all. Note: Lead is a very heavy metal. A senior source said the memo had gone down like a lead balloon. His transfer from Brentford football club went down like a lead balloon with fans. Note: You can call something that is unsuccessful or unpopular a a lead balloon. Truman knew that this cause was a lead balloon at the UN.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
go down (or over) like a lead balloon
(especially of a speech, proposal, or joke) fail; be a flop. informal 1996 Prospect Simon Jenkins's book, Accountable to None , has gone down like a lead balloon with most Conservative reviewers.
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go ˌdown like a lead balˈloon
(informal) be very unsuccessful; not be accepted by people: As you can imagine, the new proposals went down like a lead balloon, so we’ll have to think again. OPPOSITE: go down a bomb Lead is a heavy soft grey metal (symbol = Pb).
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017