单词 | thesaurus/articles/to-not-work-or-happen-as-intended |
释义 | Thesaurus article:to not work or happen as intendedto not work or happen as intendedThese words and phrases are all used when something does not work or happen the way you had thought it would. One common word for this isfail.Failis used when something is unsuccessful. We tried our best, but ultimately the project failed. Our attempts to change the legislation failed. One opposite offailissucceed. The campaign succeeded, and he was re-elected. For more opposites offail, see the article atsucceed. If a system or organization that was working stops working effectively, you can say that it hasfallen apartorfallen to pieces. Things were going smoothly until we hired him, and now everything is falling apart. The plan has potential, but unless we proceed carefully, it could fall to pieces. He thinks that the country's fallen to pieces. If something you think will happen doesn't, you can say that itfell through. Our plans to visit fell through at the last minute. We had a buyer for the house, but it fell through. Informally, when something fails because of clear problems, you can say that it hascrackedorcracked up. This is more common in UK English than in US English. The Liberal Party is cracking under the pressure of these allegations. They refused to maintain the equipment, which means that electrical delivery in the county is cracking up. If a plan or an organization stops working and suddenly becomes unsuccessful, you can say in informal language that it hasgone belly up. This phrase is more common in US English than it is in UK English. I wanted to invest in his company, but it went belly up at the beginning of the year. The athlete's contract was pulled, and the trade went belly up. For more words that describe when businesses fail, see the article atclose. When something fails because it does not give you the result you hoped for, you can say that itfell short. When there are only two results that you are hoping can happen, and neither happens, you can say that somethingfell between two stools.Fall between two stoolsis much more common in UK English than in US English. The new camera promises excellent zoom capabilities, but it falls short. The book really fell between two stools: not short enough to appeal to casual readers, but not serious enough to draw in literary readers. If something that had been going well suddenly fails, you can say in informal UK English that itwent down the panorwent pear-shaped.Go down the panis slang. UKI had high hopes for my club, but they've gone down the pan. UKAll seemed to be on track, but then our plans went pear-shaped. When you've tried to make something succeed but it fails in the end, you can say that it hascome to nothingor, more informally, that itbit the dust. All those years of work, and for what? It's all come to nothing. Despite interest from investors, it's likely that the airline start-up will bite the dust. The informal phrasescome a cropper,go down the tubes, andcrash and burnare used to describe things that fail badly and very quickly.Come a cropperandcrash and burnare often used in sports writing. The team really came a cropper after trading their star forward. Without a stimulus package, our economy's going to go down the tubes. Once the goalie was injured, the team crashed and burned, losing 7-1. Films, plays, or books that are not successfulfloporbomb.Bombis used mostly in US English, and it is more informal thanflop. His debut film flopped at the box office. The play absolutely bombed. Related articlesthe fact of not being successful someone or something that is not successful the fact of not doing something you should |
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