pan

down the toilet (British, American & Australian, informal, British, informal)

if something goes down the toilet, it is wasted or spoiled. After the drug scandal, his career went down the toilet. If the factory closes, that'll be a million pounds' worth of investment down the pan.

See also: down, toilet

a flash in the pan

something that happens only once or for a short time and will not be repeated. We're hoping that this is a long-term opportunity, and not just a flash in the pan.

See also: flash

jump out of the frying pan (and) into the fire

to go from a bad situation to an even worse one. Many kids who run away from unhappy homes discover they've jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.

See also: fire, frye, jump

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down the toilet

wasted or lost. Appearing on that talk show is usually a sign that your career is already down the toilet.

Usage notes: often used with go: He never showed up to drive us, and our plans for the evening went down the toilet.

See also: down, toilet

a flash in the pan

briefly successful or popular. At first, some of the major record labels thought rock ’n’ roll was just a flash in the pan.

Usage notes: sometimes used in the form no flash in the pan successful or popular for more than a brief period: This trend is no flash in the pan.

See also: flash

out of the frying pan (into the fire)

from a bad situation to an even worse one. Many kids who run away from unhappy homes discover they've jumped out of the frying pan into the fire when they try to live on their own.

Usage notes: often used with jump, as in the example

See also: frye

pan out

to happen or be successful. He was very creative, although not all his ideas have panned out.