Go down the tubes ⬇️🗄️

Meaning

To fail completely or be ruined.

Origin

Imagine an ancient Roman sewage system. Waste products, along with anything else unfortunate enough to fall in, were channeled away into the dark, stinking depths of the 'tubes.' Things that went down there were gone for good. This vivid image of irreversible disposal and utter failure became the perfect metaphor for plans, projects, or even entire fortunes that met a similar, catastrophic end, spiraling irrevocably into ruin.

❌📉 failure ☠️ risk 😥😔 sadness 😠⚔️ anger

Go down the tubes represented with emoji⬇️🗄️

This delightful pairing of downward arrow and filing cabinet playfully teaches the viewer to consider the ephemeral nature of success. It underscores the idea that even the most organized systems can, with a single misguided action, go down the tubes.

Examples

  • Without that crucial funding, the whole project is likely to go down the tubes.
  • If we can't fix this bug quickly, our launch will go down the tubes.
  • The pirate's treasure map, unfortunately, went down the tubes when a rogue wave washed it overboard.
  • My hopes of winning the pie-eating contest went down the tubes after I ate a whole pineapple.

Frequently asked questions

Is the idiom 'go down the tubes' a recent invention?

No, the idiom 'go down the tubes' has been in use since at least the early 20th century, with recorded instances appearing in publications around the 1920s. Its widespread adoption suggests it emerged from common parlance rather than a specific literary or historical event.

What's the opposite of 'go down the tubes'?

The opposite of 'go down the tubes' would be phrases like 'succeed wildly,' 'be a roaring success,' or 'hit the jackpot.' These expressions denote a complete and triumphant positive outcome, contrasting with the idiom's sense of total failure.

Can 'go down the tubes' be used for small, everyday failures?

While technically possible, 'go down the tubes' usually implies a significant or catastrophic failure, not minor inconveniences. It's more typically used for major projects, businesses, relationships, or fortunes that have completely collapsed.

Does 'go down the tubes' have any connection to plumbing?

No, the phrase is not directly related to modern plumbing systems, despite the word 'tubes.' Its origin lies in an older, metaphorical sense of channels or conduits carrying waste to ruin, emphasizing irreversible loss and failure.

Similar to "go down the tubes"

Hit the skids
Both phrases paint a picture of total collapse, but 'hit the skids' leans into a more sudden, uncontrolled nosedive, like a vehicle losing traction, whereas 'go down the tubes' implies a more inevitable, perhaps even passive, descent into ruin
Go belly-up
This phrase signals complete failure, much like 'go down the tubes,' but 'go belly-up' usually refers to businesses or organizations expiring, evoking the image of a dead fish floating helplessly, a final and unrecoverable state
Go pear-shaped
While both phrases denote things going wrong, 'go pear-shaped' captures a more nuanced, often initial, deviation from a plan that can escalate into disaster, whereas 'go down the tubes' is the final, definitive outcome of utter failure

Opposite of "go down the tubes"

Nail it
'Nail it' argues that success is achieved with precision and triumph, in direct contrast to 'go down the tubes,' which signifies utter defeat; the tension lies in the stark choice between masterful execution and catastrophic downfall
Turn things around
This phrase champions the possibility of recovery and redemption, directly opposing the finality of 'go down the tubes'; it's an optimistic counter-narrative focusing on resilience rather than resignation
Stick the landing
Instead of collapsing, 'stick the landing' celebrates a flawless conclusion, a triumphant finish that’s the polar opposite of spiraling into ruin; the drama is in the grace of a perfect arrival versus the chaos of a botched descent

Related to "go down the tubes"

In the toilet
This phrase shares the visual imagery of degradation and worthlessness, sitting right alongside 'go down the tubes' in terms of signifying a state of ruin
On the rocks
Like 'go down the tubes,' 'on the rocks' indicates a precarious and doomed situation, but it suggests a relationship or venture is facing serious trouble rather than already being completely destroyed
Bite the dust
This phrase evokes a final collapse or defeat, much like 'go down the tubes,' but often with a more active, dramatic sense of succumbing to an adversary or challenge
Fall by the wayside
This phrase describes something that is abandoned or unsuccessful during a process, sharing the theme of failure with 'go down the tubes,' but suggesting it happened amidst ongoing efforts rather than a complete plunge