shambles

in (a) shambles

Completely destroyed or wrecked. Oh, the event preparations are in a shambles now that the caterer's quit. Many years of neglect have left the house in shambles.
See also: shambles
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

in (a) shambles

Fig. in a messy state; destroyed. After the earthquake, the town lay in shambles. The TV set was in a shambles after John tried to fix it.
See also: shambles
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • in (a) shambles
  • in shambles
  • in ruins
  • be in ruins
  • ruin
  • wrecked
  • lie in ruins
  • quit over
  • quit (one's) bellyaching
References in periodicals archive
"This is just the latest economic casualty of a shambles made many times worse by Tory incompetence and another clear example of how an independent Scotland could prosper, free of Westminster mismanagement.
The ancient Sialkot Municipal Corporation, forest department offices, District Council offices, which were in shambles, now in a dire need of their urgent repairing or reconstruction to avert any untoward incident, in this regard.
While Scottish Labour's frontbench team at Westminster, Lesley Laird MP and Paul Sweeney MP, have been scrutinising and pressuring the Tory Government over their botched Brexit deal, it has been disappointing that the group of Scottish Tory MPs have seemingly taken a vow of silence over this Brexit shambles.
"We should be the voice of the people experiencing this shambles," he said.
Rachel Baron Cahill Was an absolute shambles but ref a shocker all day at the breakdown and scrum not just against us.
Jeff Sparkes WHAT a shambles and all done with our council tax.
Why has North Wales transport become such a shambles? Tories in Westminster or Labour in Cardiff since devolution - why has Westminster ignored this vital artery of North Wales?
The defendant, of Cornwallis Street, in the city centre, shook his head in the dock, and described the case against him as "a shambles."
What is so very clear about this election outcome is that the Tories are out of touch with reality, not to mention that their policy record in general has been a total shambles for the many and beneficial for the few.
The operation was branded a "shambles" by an angry passenger who faced a long wait for his child's buggy at 1am on Tuesday.
The operation was branded a "shambles" by an angry dad who faced a long wait for his child's buggy at 1am on Tuesday.
RISING Antrim star Christy McNaughton has labelled their Ulster U21 Hurling Championship preparations 'a complete shambles'.
Emergency services were sent to the Shambles market hall at lunchtime yesterday after reports that a man had collapsed.
WALES have been swamped by criticism after squeezing to a 33-30 win against Japan, with prop legend Graham Price leading the chorus of disapproval by labelling Rob Howley's team a shambles.
STOBSWOOD defeated Morpeth Shambles 4-3 on penalties to claim the Ken Gray Memorial Cup.