Idiom
go belly up
Meanings
To go bankrupt or shut down (of a business or organization).
To fail completely or collapse (of a plan, project, deal, or system).
Definition
To go belly up means to fail completely, especially a business that closes because it cannot survive financially.
If a company or plan goes belly up, it fails and cannot continue. Most often, it refers to a business that becomes insolvent and shuts down. People also use it more generally for projects or deals that collapse unexpectedly.
Examples
- The restaurant went belly up after the rent doubled.
- If we lose this contract, the whole startup could go belly up.
- The deal went belly up at the last minute when the bank refused financing.
- Several small shops went belly up during the recession.
More at B2 level
- Bob's your uncle Used to say that something will be easy or will happen exactly as expected after a simple step.
- touch base To touch base means to briefly contact someone to share a quick update or confirm plans.
- ballpark figure A ballpark figure is an approximate number or estimate, not an exact one.
- take the mickey To take the mickey means to tease someone or make fun of them in a not-too-serious way.
- cheap as chips Very cheap; costing very little money.
More idiom (verb phrase)s
- touch base To touch base means to briefly contact someone to share a quick update or confirm plans.
- take the mickey To take the mickey means to tease someone or make fun of them in a not-too-serious way.
- drop the ball To drop the ball means to make a mistake or fail to do something important that you were responsibl…
- have a chinwag To have a chinwag means to have a friendly, informal chat with someone.
- face the music To accept and deal with the unpleasant consequences of your actions or a difficult situation.