Failure - Resulting in Failure

Discover how English idioms like "on shaky ground" and "on the run" relate to failing in English.

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chink in {one's} armor [phrase]

‌a weakness in someone's character or argument that can be used against them

Ex: John 's tendency to gossip is a chink in his armor - his otherwise professional reputation is marred by his inability to keep a secret .

on the run [phrase]

in a state of disadvantage, difficulty, or vulnerability

Ex: You 've got 'em on the run now , boys !

Achilles' heel [phrase]

a point of weakness or vulnerability

Ex:

to [dig] {one's} own grave [phrase]

to do something that will lead to one's own failure

Ex: The coach dug his own grave when he publicly insulted the team 's owner .

to [cut] {one's} own [throat] [phrase]

to do something that causes one serious trouble or harm

Ex: The employees ' threats to strike cut their own throats because management simply closed the facility and moved operations overseas .

{one's} (own|) worst enemy [phrase]

used to convey that a person is causing harm to themselves through their own actions, choices, or behavior

Ex: The company 's short-term focus and reluctance to invest for the future makes it its own worst enemy , hampering its long-term growth .

to [foul] {one's} (own|) nest [phrase]

to behave in a way that damages or undermines one's own reputation or success

Ex: The country 's excessive military spending has fouled its own nest by bankrupting the economy and leaving little funds for infrastructure and social programs .

[kill] the goose that lays the golden egg [sentence]

to destroy something that could bring one a lot of money or great success, particularly because of greed

Ex: When the mining company overextracted resources from the land , it killed the goose that lays the golden egg by damaging the environment that provided the natural wealth in the first place .

the final nail in the coffin [phrase]

the last event, action, or circumstance that causes something to fail or end

Ex: When the star witness changed her story , it was the final nail in the coffin for the defendant 's case .

to [get] on top of {sb} [phrase]

(of a difficult or challenging situation) to overwhelm someone and cause them stress, anxiety, or other negative emotions

Ex: The pressure of the upcoming exams is really getting on top of me .

to [rest|sit] on {one's} laurels [phrase]

to become satisfied with one's past achievements and to stop making efforts to improve or progress

Ex: The company can not afford to sit on its laurels and must continue to innovate in order to stay ahead of the competition .

on shaky ground [phrase]

in an uncertain or unstable situation that is likely to fail or collapse

Ex: The politician 's position on the issue is on shaky ground , and they may suffer electoral consequences if they do not clarify their stance .

to [knock] {sth} on the head [phrase]

to stop or put an end to something abruptly or decisively

Ex: The coach decided to knock the team's losing strategy on the head and implement a new game plan for the next match.

to [lose] steam [phrase]

to lose momentum, energy, or enthusiasm for something, especially a task or project

Ex: The company 's marketing campaign started out strong , but it has been losing steam in recent weeks as interest from consumers has waned .

kiss of death [phrase]

an event or action that results in the failure of something, particularly an organization

Ex: Losing the support of a key ally can be the kiss of death for a political campaign .

to [take] a beating [phrase]

to experience a significant loss, failure, or setback in a particular situation

Ex: The politician 's approval rating has taken a beating in recent weeks due to a scandal .

Failure
Resulting in Failure	Experiencing Failure	Lost in the Game	Wastefulness
Fruitlessness	Deterioration	Defamation & Unpopularity	Defeat
Game Over	Lose or Win	Mistakes & Poor Performance