crash and burn

crash and burn

1. Literally, to crash and catch fire. Typically said of a car or airplane. Her car crashed and burned, but she survived the accident.
2. To fail at something completely and dramatically. I really hope this business venture doesn't crash and burn—I'll be broke if it does. My attempt to make a speech before the whole student body really crashed and burned when I got on stage and forgot everything I was supposed to say.
3. In sports, to experience a significant accident or crash and thus have to withdraw from a competition. Alex isn't competing today because she crashed and burned on her practice run last night.
See also: and, burn, crash
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

crash and burn

 
1. Lit. [for a plane or car] to crash and burst into flames. The small plane crashed and burned just after it took off.
2. Fig. to fail spectacularly. Poor Chuck really crashed and burned when he made his presentation at the sales meeting.
See also: and, burn, crash
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

crash and burn

1. Fail utterly, as in Dale crashed and burned three times before passing the bar exam. This idiom alludes to a car or airplane that has crashed and caught fire. [Slang; 1970s]
2. In skateboarding and other sports, be taken out of competition by a collision, accident, or fall, as in Although she was favored to win the downhill race, she crashed and burned on her first run . [Slang; 1980s]
See also: and, burn, crash
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

crash and burn

To crash and burn is to fail very badly. Stock markets don't crash and burn without warning. He will either go down in history as a very great president or he'll crash and burn. Note: This may be a reference to a plane crashing into the ground and bursting into flames.
See also: and, burn, crash
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

crash and burn

fail spectacularly. North American informal
1994 Hispanic But if you use Spanish, be careful not to crash and burn…the language is booby-trapped for the unwary PR professional.
See also: and, burn, crash
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

ˌcrash and ˈburn

(American English, slang)
1 fail completely: She shot to fame, then crashed and burned.
2 fall asleep or collapse because you are very tired
See also: and, burn, crash
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

crash and burn

1. in. [for a young man] to fail brilliantly with a romance. (see also go down in flames.) It stands to reason that if Carole hadn’t shot me down, I wouldn’t have crashed and burned.
2. in. to fail spectacularly. I have to be prepared. I don’t want to crash and burn if I don’t have to.
See also: and, burn, crash
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

crash and burn

Slang
To fail utterly.
See also: and, burn, crash
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • run over
  • stop behind
  • stop behind (someone or something)
  • reach speeds of
  • reach speeds of (up to) (some amount)
  • clunker
  • to be sure
  • nudge out
  • pull up alongside (someone or something)
  • change gear