Go belly up

Go belly (or tits) up

Meaning

Become badly and permanently inoperative.

Examples

The company has gone belly up – they had millions in debts and their only customer went elsewhere.

Where did it originate?

Britain, 20th century. The allusion is to fish floating dead in the water.

Where is it used?

Worldwide.

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About the Author

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.