bring down on

bring (something) down on (oneself)

1. Literally, to cause something to fall on oneself. While he attempted to water the Christmas tree, he shook its branches and brought various ornaments down on himself. Thank goodness you grabbed the baby before she brought that hair dryer down on herself! Be careful going out the door, or you'll bring a pile of snow down on yourself.

2. To cause negative consequences for oneself. You brought this down on yourself—I had no role in your failure. Getting fired from my job brought my whole world down on me—or, at least, that's what it felt like at the time. That rejection by my top-choice school brought everything down on myself.

See also: bring, down, on

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

bring something down on

 one('s head)

1. Lit. to cause something to fall onto one's head. (See also bring something crashing down (around one).) He jarred the shelves and all the books were brought down on his head. When he hit the wall of the hut, he brought down the roof on himself.

2. Fig. to cause the collapse of something or some enterprise onto oneself. Your bumbling will bring everything down on your head! Your mistakes have brought down the whole thing on your own head.

See also: bring, down, on

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.