go downhill 🎢
Definition: Deteriorate, decline. Although one might think that going downhill signifies an easy journey, it has meant deterioration since the 1500s. Daniel Defoe even used it to imply ease in his timeless classic, Robinson Crusoe.
Synonyms 🚴♂️:
- Decline
- Worsen
- Degenerate
- Falter
Antonyms 🔄:
- Improve
- Ascend
- Flourish
- Thrive
Humor-filled Quote:
“When your performance is going downhill, just remember: It’s good training for when everything’s going up in flames!”
Related terms and Expressions:
- Hit the skids
- On the slide
- In a downward spiral
Proverbs and Common Phrases:
- “It’s all downhill from here!”
- “In the downward trend.”
- “Sliding down the slippery slope.”
Suggested Literature:
- Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
- A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (hold tight as things go downhill quickly!)
Movies:
- The Social Network (Watch fortunes ascend and relationships go downhill)
- The Pursuit of Happyness - a strong contrast between ups and downs
Inspirational Farewell:
“When life goes downhill, remember, it’s not the speed that mind, but how you pedal back up!”
### Which of these explains going downhill?
- [x] Deteriorate or decline
- [ ] Improve noticeably
- [ ] Remain the same
- [ ] Get unexplainably better
> **Explanation:** Going downhill means to deteriorate or decline, not to improve or stay the same, despite how fun sledding can be!
### Which of the following implies a similar meaning to 'going downhill'?
- [x] Hit the skids
- [ ] Reach the pinnacle
- [ ] A rising tide
- [ ] Achieve new heights
> **Explanation:** "Hit the skids" has a similar downtrodden connotation. The others are all about ascending and achieving more, the opposite of deteriorate.
### Complete this idiom: "_________ on the slide."
- [x] Going
- [ ] Hovering
- [ ] Stalling
- [ ] Falling
> **Explanation:** The term "going" completes this idiom, giving it the necessary movement towards decline.
