Come to Grief, To
Definition: To fail or to falter; to experience a misfortune.
Synonyms
- Hit the skids
- Bite the dust
- Take a nosedive
- Meet with disaster
Antonyms
- Hit the jackpot
- Land on your feet
- Make a killing
- Strike gold
Related and Similar Terms
- Fall from grace: To lose one’s reputation or position.
- Drop the ball: To make a mistake or mishandle a situation.
- Come a cropper: To fail badly or experience a sudden disaster, originally a British idiom.
- Go down in flames: To fail spectacularly.
Humor-filled Quotes
- “Just when you think it’s safe to go back in the water, the boat sinks. That’s what it means to come to grief!” – Anonymous
Proverbs
- “Misfortune never come single.” – Proverb
- “A stumble may prevent a fall.”
Literature, Books, Songs, Poetry, and Movies
- Literature: In “The Newcomes” by Thackeray, he mentioned, “We were nearly coming to grief.”
- Songs: “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor - an anthem for making a comeback after coming to grief.
- Movies: “Falling Down” starring Michael Douglas showcases a man’s disastrous day, visually representing ‘coming to grief’.
- Books: “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens presents numerous characters who frequently come to grief.
Inspirational Thought
“To come to grief is not the end, but merely a chapter in the greater narrative of resilience. Each stumble injects character into our journey.” – P. C. Punnywords
### Which of these is a synonym for "come to grief"?
- [x] Bite the dust
- [ ] Strike gold
- [ ] Winter is coming
- [ ] Make a killing
> **Explanation:** "Bite the dust" is a phrase that means to suffer a defeat or fail, making it a synonym for "come to grief."
### Which of the following expressions means to fail spectacularly?
- [x] Go down in flames
- [ ] Touch the sky
- [ ] Paint the town red
- [ ] Live a dog's life
> **Explanation:** "Go down in flames" is an expression used to describe a spectacular failure, often dramatic and complete.
### True or False: 'Take a nosedive' means to succeed.
- [ ] True
- [x] False
> **Explanation:** "Take a nosedive" means to fall or fail suddenly and dramatically, not to succeed.
### Which phrase isn’t synonymous with failure?
- [ ] Hit the skids
- [ ] Come a cropper
- [x] Beat the odds
- [ ] Drop the ball
> **Explanation:** "Beat the odds" means to succeed despite difficulties, making it the odd one out in this context of failure.
### Which phrase refers to losing one's status or reputation?
- [ ] Drop the ball
- [ ] Bite the dust
- [ ] Hit the skids
- [x] Fall from grace
> **Explanation:** "Fall from grace" refers specifically to losing one's status or reputation, often in a very public or dramatic manner.
