crashing
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(one's) whole world came crashing down around (one)
One's entire outlook, circumstances, or lifestyle were negatively affected or altered (by some event). When I was rejected by the university that was my top choice, my whole world came crashing down around me. Lena's whole world came crashing down around her when her mom died, and it took a long time for her to find her way again. When I had to close my store, it felt like my whole world came crashing down around me. But it turned out to be the best thing because it allowed me to find my real passion in life—painting.
bring (something) crashing down (around) (one)
1. Literally, to cause something to fall violently to the ground. (In this usage, "around (one)" is not usually part of the phrase.) On demolition day, a crew will bring that old building crashing down.
2. To cause a distressing failure, especially one that profoundly affects or disrupts one's life or identity. Getting laid off from my job brought everything crashing down around me.
crash and burn
1. Literally, to crash and catch fire. Typically said of a car or airplane. Her car crashed and burned, but she survived the accident.
2. To fail at something completely and dramatically. I really hope this business venture doesn't crash and burn—I'll be broke if it does. My attempt to make a speech before the whole student body really crashed and burned when I got on stage and forgot everything I was supposed to say.
3. In sports, to experience a significant accident or crash and thus have to withdraw from a competition. Alex isn't competing today because she crashed and burned on her practice run last night.
crash around
To make a lot of noise while doing something. Dad woke us all up when he came home late and promptly crashed around the dark living room. You can always count on Patty to crash around in the kitchen while she's cooking. Pots and pans have never sounded louder!
crash at (someone's) place
To sleep at someone else's house, apartment, etc., for a temporary period of time. A: "Where were you last night?" B: "I missed the last bus home, so I just crashed at Ben's place." You can crash at my place while you're visiting the city!
crash down
1. Literally, to fall down or collapse, often noisily. When the tree crashed down in the woods, it woke us all up.
2. By extension, to result in disaster or lose all stability amidst drastic problems. When I lied on my resume to get my dream job, I really hoped it wouldn't all come crashing down around me—but, of course, it did. I've felt like my life is crashing down around me ever since my husband's sudden death.
crash out
To escape from some place. That criminal did crash out, but he was caught only a mile from the prison.
crash through (something)
To physically break through some thing or barrier, often violently. The driver crashed through the guardrail and ended up in oncoming traffic.
crash to the floor
To fall to the floor, usually noisily. The picture frame fell off the wall and crashed to the floor.
crash together
Of two or more things, to strike each other violently or noisily. A noun or pronoun can be used between "crash" and "together." Our cars crashed together in the middle of the intersection when the other driver ran a red light. My job in the percussion section of the marching band is to crash the symbols together.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
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.
crash and burn
1. Lit. [for a plane or car] to crash and burst into flames. The small plane crashed and burned just after it took off.
2. Fig. to fail spectacularly. Poor Chuck really crashed and burned when he made his presentation at the sales meeting.
crash around
to move around in a noisy way Stop crashing around. I'm trying to study. The people upstairs were crashing around and I couldn't get any sleep.
crash down
(around someone or something) and crash down (about someone or something)1. and crash in (on someone or something) Lit. [for something] to collapse on someone or something. The walls crashed in around the burning house. The branches of the tree crashed down on the roof. The old barn crashed down.
2. Fig. [for the structure and stability of one's life] to fall apart. Her whole life crashed down around her. Everything he was familiar with crashed down about him.
crash out (of some place)
to break out of some place, such as a prison. Max and Lefty crashed out of the state prison last week, but they were captured. They crashed out at midnight.
crash something together
to bring things together with great force, making a loud noise. Fred crashed the cymbals together and the sound could have wakened the dead. Don't crash those pans together. It drives me crazy.
crash to the floor
to fall onto the floor and make a crashing sound. The tray of dishes crashed to the floor. Everything crashed to the floor and was broken.
crash together
to ram or move together with great force. The two cars crashed together, making a loud noise. The ships crashed together, opening a gaping hole in the side of one of them.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
crash and burn
1. Fail utterly, as in Dale crashed and burned three times before passing the bar exam. This idiom alludes to a car or airplane that has crashed and caught fire. [Slang; 1970s]
2. In skateboarding and other sports, be taken out of competition by a collision, accident, or fall, as in Although she was favored to win the downhill race, she crashed and burned on her first run . [Slang; 1980s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
crash and burn
To crash and burn is to fail very badly. Stock markets don't crash and burn without warning. He will either go down in history as a very great president or he'll crash and burn. Note: This may be a reference to a plane crashing into the ground and bursting into flames.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
crash and burn
fail spectacularly. North American informal 1994 Hispanic But if you use Spanish, be careful not to crash and burn…the language is booby-trapped for the unwary PR professional.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
ˌcrash and ˈburn
(American English, slang)1 fail completely: She shot to fame, then crashed and burned.
2 fall asleep or collapse because you are very tired
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
crash and burn
1. in. [for a young man] to fail brilliantly with a romance. (see also go down in flames.) It stands to reason that if Carole hadn’t shot me down, I wouldn’t have crashed and burned.
2. in. to fail spectacularly. I have to be prepared. I don’t want to crash and burn if I don’t have to.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
crash and burn
Slang To fail utterly.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.