crash down
1. Literally, to fall down or collapse, often noisily. When the tree crashed down in the woods, it woke us all up. Sorry for the commotion—some pots and pans crashed down in the kitchen. My goodness, did somebody just crash down the steps? Is she all right?
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. When your child falls seriously ill, it feels like the whole world just crashes down around you.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
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.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.