Come a cropper

Posted by Jim on February 20, 2002

I heard this phrase used by a Brit member of a crew filming wildlife in Africa. Contextually, the phrase implied serious injury or death resulting from a mistake. The archives list the phrase in a thread on euphemisms for bungling. Is "come a cropper" just a euphemism for bungling or do other meanings exist?

• Come a cropper R. Berg 02/21/02
  • Come a cropper - just a little more James Briggs 02/21/02