fall to pieces

fall to pieces

1. To physically break or fall apart. If we don't get the roof replaced soon, it could just fall to pieces on us.
2. To become very emotional. Poor Jane really fell to pieces during the funeral service. I can't watch those sappy movies because I just fall to pieces every time.
3. To deteriorate or go awry. Boy, this party has really fallen to pieces. First, there was the issue with the caterer, and now half the guests aren't coming.
See also: fall, piece
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

fall to pieces

 
1. Lit. to break into pieces. The road was so rough the car almost fell to pieces. I was afraid that my bicycle would fall to pieces before I got there.
2. Fig. to become emotionally upset. I was so nervous, I fell to pieces and couldn't give my speech. Roger fell to pieces when his mother died.
See also: fall, piece
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

fall to ˈpieces


1 (usually used in the progressive tenses) (of things) become very old and in bad condition because of long use: Our car is falling to pieces, we’ve had it so long.
2 (of a person, an organization, a plan, etc.) stop working; be destroyed: He’s worried that the business will fall to pieces without him.
See also: fall, piece
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

fall to pieces

1. To break apart; disintegrate or collapse.
2. To become distraught or lose one's ability to cope.
See also: fall, piece
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • fallen
  • fall by the wayside
  • fall by the wayside, to
  • slide over
  • fall in on
  • fall in on (someone or something)
  • break (one's) fall
  • break fall
  • break one's fall
  • fall from grace, to
References in periodicals archive
43 A healthy tasting bread that doesn't fall to pieces with the spread of a knife.
Food & Drink: take five. . . whole meal loaves
Her best known anthem, Crazy, was voted best country song of all time by Radio 2 listeners, and here Nick Barraclough puts that and other classics such as Walkin' After Midnight and I Fall to Pieces into context.
Culture: Radio Choice
We have done so well in the past few months that it would be a shame for it to all fall to pieces.
Coping with less Xposure
"When I hold them, I fall to pieces," Ken Lakeberg said in early August.
A painful separation
Chris Evert claimed Konta "froze" while fellow BBC commentator John McEnroe said: TURN TO PAGE 50 "It was disappointing to see her fall to pieces after that lead she had in the first.
34 unforced errors, losing 12 of the last 15 games, but beaten konta insists: i have no regrets; WIMBLEDON 2019 LAST 8 WOE Konta: i have no regrets
Before I Fall To Pieces, America and Hostage To Love quickly.
REVIEW: Johnny's not hard act to sell; RAZORLIGHT Civic Hall, Wolverhampton
But it was Fall to Pieces that really got the crowd going and, as usual, it was the old classics that provoked the biggest response.
live reviews: Velvet Revolver, SECC, Glasgow June 10 ****; video and dvd reviews
His supergroup Velvet Revolver's new single Fall To Pieces tells of a rock star on the brink of oblivion.
Billy Sloan : Slash and grab by riot police
One of the commentators made the point that the England team seemed to fall to pieces after Rooney limped off.``But why,'' said the young person by my side, ``did that happen.He's just a teenager,and the others are all proper,grown-upmen.
Debbie Johnson: MY BOY POSES AN AGE OLD QUESTION
Reality, alas, starts to intrude as the father's carefully constructed world starts to fall to pieces. What follows is deft, daft and deliriously funny.
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC; Movies
The Scot also saw his Red Bull badly fall to pieces after colliding with Felipe Massa at last Sunday's Australian Grand Prix.
Red Bull facing race KO
Bassist Carl Dalemo said of their LP - due in July: "In The Morning, Who Needs Love, Fall To Pieces and I Can't Stop This Feeling I've Got were recorded in a week.
the Razz: Speed of Razorlight
The great element of this talent trial was that there were no humiliating put downs and the emphasis was on making sure everyone who appeared did not fall to pieces.
TV review: Singers get the point; Junior Eurovision Song Contest ITV1
Fall To Pieces was a haunting reminder of what Guns 'N' Roses were, it was Slash's turn to bask in the limelight with a guitar solo reminiscent of the old G 'N' R classics like November Rain and Don't Cry.
The Razz: Music reviews: Velvet Revolver Carling Academy, Glasgow, Aug 31 #####
Neither Yoshida nor Darmian is likely to fall to pieces as a result of their public criticism and if they did, then they're not worthy of Premier League salaries.
Dutch duo dish it up at the double