in flames
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]By analogy with fighter planes being shot down and bursting into flames.
Prepositional phrase
[edit]- (figuratively, with a verb) Dramatically and with no hope of recovery.
Usage notes
[edit]- Chiefly used in constructions such as "go down in flames" and "shoot down in flames", often in the passive voice