go down in flames
verbEtymology The figurative sense is by metaphor from the literal sense. Attested since the early 20th century, ever since aeroplanes appeared but especially since World War I, when shooting them out of the sky first became a widespread thing.
1
Idiomatic To fail miserably and with long-term consequences.
2
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see go, down, in, flames: descend while aflame, crash and burn, etc.
- Near-synonym: crash and burn
- Related terms
- aflame, go up in flames, in flames