English around the world: to go belly-up

In diesem Beitrag aus unserer Rubrik „English around the world“ stellen wir heute eine Redewendung aus den USA vor. Sie erfahren, mit welcher Wendung sie ausdrücken, dass etwas den Geist aufgibt.

By Carol Richards

“to go belly-up”

USA

We say that something has gone “belly-up” when it has failed completely. It most often refers to companies but can also be used to described failed plans or situations. The origin of the idiom comes from dead animals and fish which end up on their backs so that their bellies are exposed.