fall down

verb

1. to drop suddenly or collapse
2. informal.
   often foll by on to prove unsuccessful; fail

Idioms and Phrases

Fail to meet expectations; lag in performance. For example, It was disappointing to see him fall down on the job . This expression transfers a literal drop to a figurative one. [Second half of 1800s]

Example Sentences

In the meantime, just as the bill passed its first hurdle, snow flakes started to fall down on the Capitol.

From The Daily Beast

What I say to people is, if you fall down, fall down on your back.

From The Daily Beast

And only at night, and when reading certain books, do I fall down into a tunnel that takes me back to a more enchanted place.

From The Daily Beast

If it does fall down, I want to be playing in the quartet on the top deck, sinking with it.

From The Daily Beast

They climb atop bare-chested men in a boxing ring—and sometimes they fall down and go boom.

From The Daily Beast

The huts of the poor people are miserably bad, being mostly built of clay and wood, and threatening to fall down every moment.

From Project Gutenberg

But if any man shall not fall down and adore, he shall the same hour be cast into a furnace of burning fire.

From Project Gutenberg

And that if any man shall not fall down and adore, he should be cast into a furnace of burning fire.

From Project Gutenberg

And they that eat bread with him, shall destroy him, and his army shall be overthrown: and many shall fall down slain.

From Project Gutenberg

Entrance to his mine, Tom replied, Dont go near it or you will probably fall down a shaft or something.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bumble
• careen
• fall
• falter
• flounder
• hesitate
• limp
• lumber
• lurch
• shuffle
• swing
• waver
• wobble