lead balloon
nounEtymology From go down like a lead balloon and similar expressions.
1
A failure, especially something that fails to have the intended resonance with an audience.
- After the collusion story proved a bust, there was an attempt to blow some life into the obstruction of justice charge. But that was a lead balloon with the American people.2019 November 17, Robert Robb, “Trump wants Republicans to defend him. But it's hard to defend the indefensible”, in The Arizona Republic:
- He does it because it establishes the primary deniability of "I was just trolling" when his lead balloons fail to go over2025 May 3, @itazurakko999, X: