nosedive

go into a nosedive

1. Of an aircraft, to go into a sudden and rapid descent toward the ground leading with the nose of the plane. Everyone started panicking when we went into a nosedive, but the skilled pilot managed to regain control of the plane and landed it safely.
2. Of a person, to fall toward the ground face first. I was so distracted by the girl I like in class that I ended up tripping and going into a nosedive right in front of her.
3. To suddenly and rapidly begin to decline in physical, emotional, or psychological health or stability; to suffer a sudden loss or decline in value or success. My father held out bravely in his fight against cancer, but I'm afraid he's gone into a nosedive in the last couple of weeks. Shares in the company went into a nosedive when news of the tax scandal went public.
See also: go, nosedive

take a nosedive

1. Of an aircraft, to go into a sudden and rapid descent toward the ground leading with the nose of the plane. Everyone went into a panic when we started taking a nosedive, but the skilled pilot managed to regain control of the plane and landed it safely.
2. Of a person, to fall toward the ground face first. I was so distracted by the girl I like in class that I tripped and took a nosedive right in front of her.
3. By extension, to suddenly and rapidly begin to decline in physical, emotional, or psychological health or stability; to suffer a sudden loss or decline in value or success. My father has held out bravely in his fight against cancer, but I'm afraid he's taken a nosedive in the last couple of weeks. Shares in the company are taking a nosedive ever since news of the tax scandal went public.
See also: nosedive, take
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

go into a nosedive

 and take a nosedive 
1. Lit. [for an airplane] suddenly to dive toward the ground, nose first. It was a bad day for flying, and I was afraid we'd go into a nosedive. The small plane took a nosedive. The pilot was able to bring it out at the last minute, so the plane didn't crash.
2. . Fig. [for someone] to fall to the ground face first. She took a nosedive and injured her face.
3. . Fig. to go into a rapid emotional or financial decline, or a decline in health. Our profits took a nosedive last year. After he broke his hip, Mr. Brown's health went into a nosedive, and he never recovered.
See also: go, nosedive
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

nosedive

n. a great drop; a great decline. (see also take a nosedive.) This year our profits have taken a nosedive.

take a nosedive

tv. to collapse; to fail. The market took a nosedive again today.
See also: nosedive, take
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • go into a nosedive
  • take a nosedive
  • get (one's) nose cold
  • get one’s nose cold
  • turn (one's) nose up at (someone or something)
  • turn nose up at
  • turn your nose up at something
  • nose candy
  • nose job
  • the nose knows
References in periodicals archive
To avoid a collision with the DC-10, the jumbo jet went into the nosedive that caused more than 50 crew members and passengers to be injured, the indictment said.
2 air controllers indicted over near-miss involving JAL aircraft
A week later, investors turned their back on the proposed acquisition of Internet portal Lycos (Nasdaq: LCOS) by USA Networks (Nasdaq: USAI), the entertainment conglomerate, causing the index to fall 4%, the biggest one-day nosedive since the market's bout with the Asian flu.
Will tech stocks short circuit?
Enjoying them has little to do with one's sex or sexual preference and more to do with the inclination to nosedive into the scent and not the thing.
Mel Ramos: Pop Art Images
New tooling orders (reported by 180 shops nationwide) saw the biggest increase in the West, while orders at South Central tool shops took an equally big nosedive.
Operating rates tumbled in 2nd quarter
Inset, pilot Jimmy with model of his Mustang Panic grips crowd in last seconds of the plane's nosedive Debris after the disaster
DEATH FROM THE SKY; Three killed as stunt flier, 74, dives into show crowd
Kieren Fallon went one better than Dettori as he registered a 307-1 treble, courtesy of Sonny Parkin, Nosedive and Meetings Man.
Peter Martins shows star potential; NEWMARKET Friday
She has so 20 15-1 Madam Macie (IRE) (23) J Hetherton 8 6............................K Fallon BETTING: 11-2 Hoof It, 7-1 Swilly Ferry, 15-2 Madam Macie, 10-1 The Only Boss, 11-1 Side Glance, Coolminx, 14-1 Victoire De Lyphar, Nosedive, Tomintoul Singer, Astrophysical Jet, Colonel Mak, Midnight Martini, 16-1 others.
Martini bubbling
Smederna are in danger of bankruptcy having seen their attendances nosedive in recent years, and they lost Pedersen to Bajen last winter.
Speedway: Nicholls is on the move; Game On SPEEDWAY
The city's seamy side overpowers him, and Nell slips into a self-destructive nosedive. At that point Gordon-Levitt's hard shell cracks, and the violence and anguish that the young man and the film have long held back come spilling out in a blisteringly painful sequence.
Skin tight
Horrified witnesses told of the right-side engine of the plane appearing to blow up and the aircraft going into a nosedive.
HORROR CRASH CLAIMS 265 LIVES
It is not in the best interest of the new administration to see the economy nosedive. It will make every effort to ensure a smooth recovery and a quick end to the current downturn.
Until the sky actually falls, I'll remain the Pollyanna
Whenever you run low on energy, whether it's during a long run or because you've skipped a meal, your blood sugar level takes a nosedive. Your body responds by releasing large quantities of stress hormones, such as cortisol.
Fighting the cold war
The stock market may still take another nosedive, but on Jupiter the crash of '98 is already history.
Images reveal stormy collision on Jupiter
Still, there's no one definitive reason why some businesses thrive while others take a nosedive.
Warning signs that your business is failing
After World War I, however, scientists began to depend on airplanes and balloons more often in their studies, so the popularity of research kites took a nosedive. But now scientific kites are taking off again, and Balsley is on the front lines.
Quite the kite