in a difficult, desperate, or vulnerable situation where help or intervention may be needed
to fail or encounter difficulties at the beginning of a task or process, before any significant progress has been made
to encounter failure or difficulties just before reaching the end or achieving a goal
used to refer to something that was working or progressing well but suddenly stopped functioning or fell apart
(of a joke, remark, event, etc.) to be completely unsuccessful in amusing people or having the desired effect
to experience a complete failure or defeat, often accompanied by dramatic or disastrous consequences
to experience a sudden and significant decline, deterioration, or devaluation, often unexpectedly or rapidly
to repeatedly try to do or achieve something without success
