pan out, to
“Pan out, to” - To succeed. The term alludes to the pan used by prospectors to wash gold from the gravel of streams; what remained in the pan was the ore. The term was transferred to other kinds of success in the late nineteenth century. Bret Harte used it in Drift from Two Shores (1879): “That depends pretty much on how things pan out.”
Related Expressions:
- Strike gold
- Hit pay dirt
- Mine a fortune
- Come up trumps
Synonyms:
- Succeed
- Prosper
- Triumph
- Flourish
Antonyms:
- Fail
- Flop
- Bomb
- Tank
Humorous Quote:
“Success is finding the one nugget of gold in the sea of pebbles… without needing hip waders.” - Golden Wiseman
Similar Terms:
- Bear fruit: To yield positive results. Think of your hard work as a tree, and eventually, it will produce fruitful outcomes.
- Pay off: When an investment (time, money, effort) generates a favorable return. All those late-night study sessions? They’ll pay off come exam time.
Proverbs:
“All that glitters is not gold, but you’ll appreciate it when you find the real thing.” - Anonymous
Suggested Literature:
- Drift from Two Shores by Bret Harte: Dive into the era when striking gold meant everything.
- Moby-Dick by Herman Melville: Though literally more about catching whales than panning for gold, its underlying themes of perseverance and obsession with pursuit are golden!
Suggested Songs:
- Fields of Gold by Sting: Relaxes you, reminding that not all treasure is material.
- Gold by Spandau Ballet: A flashy flourish for your playlist.
Suggested Movies:
- Gold (2016): Follow a modern-day prospector’s adventure and see how things “pan out."
- Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948): Classic adventure and the definitive panning for gold tale.
Let’s pan for some idiomatic Gold!
Until we meet again in the glitter-filled world of idioms, remember that every effort, no matter how small, is a step towards success—not all that glitters is gold, but every nugget you find is worth cherishing.
Happy panning!
-Ellie P. Expressionistic
