crashing

bring something crashing down (around one) 

1. Lit. to cause a structure to collapse and fall (on oneself). He hit the tent pole and brought the tent crashing down. When she removed the last vertical board, she brought the shed crashing down around her.

2. Fig. to destroy something, such as one's life and well-being, that one has a special interest in; to cause someone's basic orientation to collapse. She brought her whole life crashing down around her.

See also: bring

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your whole world came crashing down around you   also your whole world (was) turned upside down

if your whole world comes crashing down around you, something unpleasant happens in your life that suddenly makes you feel very upset or confused Suddenly they weren't popular any more, nobody wanted to buy their records, and their whole world came crashing down around them. When I found out he'd had an affair, my whole world turned upside down.

See set the world on fire, think the world of

See also: around, came, whole, world