go bust • go on the bust go bust—(sl.) become bankrupt: Many hard working people have lost their homes because they have lost their jobs or because their businesses have gone bust . go on the bust—(sl.) engage in noisy merrymaking (also: go a bust): There was a slight probability of some of the party going “on the bust ” after three months’ teetotalism. go by the board • go overboard go by the board—1. (also: come by the board) fall into the water from a ship: The ship gave a tremendous roll … and the mast went by the board . 2. said of an idea or an activity no longer practiced (often with the implication of regret): Now, within recent years the old materialism of our fathers has gone by the board . go overboard—1. = go by the board 1: During the storm a lot of the deck cargo went overboard . 2. (coll.) lose one’s senses; go mad: My uncle has been acting very strangely recently; the family think he may have gone overboard . 3. be very enthu- siastic about smth.; do more than is necessary: Many teachers have gone overboard for the new methods without considering their worth. go cold turkey • walk turkey go cold turkey —(sl.) rid oneself of drug addiction by sudden and complete withdrawal of the drug: I had to stop smoking, so I went cold turkey . Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase talk cold turkey—(coll.) speak frankly and without reserve (also: talk turkey): It would be impossible for the Pres- ident to ever talk cold turkey because nobody would accept the responsibility for fighting a war for economic reasons. walk turkey—(of a ship) pitch and roll: The north wind commenced to make the Yaquina walk turkey , standing her up on either end alternately. go current • go with the current go current—1. be in circulation or in common use: Now what would be nice, is if users of these packages could test them out as much as possible before they go current . 2. be generally accepted: He returns forever to the old stories of the Prophets as they went current in the Arab memory… go with the current—(also: go with the stream) act or think as the majority of people do: These are the people who mutter lies about the futility of fighting the times … who advise us to go with the current . Cf.: swim against the current— go against prevailing opinion or thought: Dr. Lewis adopts a personal, cre- ative approach to healing which I would say is swimming against the current of “evidence based medicine.” go down in flames • go up in flames go down in flames —1. be destroyed by fire: When the house went down in flames , the mayor accused McCown’s followers of burning it. 2. (also: go down in smoke) fail or end suddenly; come to nothing: It’s interesting to look back and see how many of our plans went down in flames . go up in flames —(also: go up in smoke) 1. = go down in flames 1: A spark from the unscreened fireplace set fire to a bear rug and the house went up in flames . 2. = go down in flames 2: Unfortunately, that whole project went up in flames because those guys ended up in a bitter quarrel. go down in smoke • go up in smoke go down in smoke —(also: go down in flames) fail or end sud- denly; come to nothing: This whole program went down in smoke after the protests started. go up in smoke —(also: go up in flames) 1. be destroyed by fire: After his house went up in smoke , insurance and fire offi- cials suddenly realized he was involved in a whole string of arsons. 2. = go down in smoke: His hopes went up in smoke as his car’s engine caught fire and arch enemy and team-mate at the time, Jason Plato, became champion. 3. (coll.) lose one’s temper: The highbrows in those parts all go up in smoke if you confess to liking those native artists. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase go into smoke—(sl.) go into hiding: The delegate returned anonymously, slipped ashore and “went into smoke ” like some famous criminal. go down like a bomb • go like a bomb go down like a bomb—(UK coll.) 1. be very successful; be received with great enthusiasm (also: go down a bomb): All the songs went down like a bomb …. You could hear a pin drop as he sang the melancholic ballad in the deathly silence. 2. (rare) fail to have the intended effect; produce disappointment: His dream was to make a car that would go down like a bang…. Then a terrible recession ensured that by the time this futur- istic car was available it went down like a bomb . go like a bomb—(coll.) 1. (of articles on sale) sell in great numbers: Suits like that go like a bomb in London stores right now. 2. = go down like a bomb 1: A slight failure with the pud- ding makes the other women happy and the evening goes like a bomb . 3. (of a vehicle) run extremely well; go very fast: My car goes like a bomb since I put that new engine in and I’m really enjoying it! go down like a lead balloon • go down like ninepins go down like a lead balloon —fail to have the intended effect; produce disapproval or disappointment: His jokes about women drivers went down like a lead balloon . Note: The expression is not antonymous in meaning to the phrase balloon goes up, the—used when a situation suddenly becomes serious or critical: The balloon went up when I received a call stating that two foreigners had been detained by border guards. go down like ninepins—1. be easily overcome: I was a jack of all subjects and a master of none but General Papers went down before me like ninepins . 2. fail in large numbers: During depressions business units went down like ninepins . The com- mercial banks of the time did little to help. go down the river • go up the river go down the river—1. (coll.) slowly decay and fall to pieces through neglect: “Mike’s car has gone down the river .” “I thought the champion was wealthy,” said Mr. Queen. “Not any more.” 2. (U.S. hist.) go into slavery: Percy Driscoll slept well the night he saved his house-minions from going down the river . go up the river—(sl.) be imprisoned: Lager-beer had come up since I went up the river . go down the wrong way • go the wrong way go down the wrong way—said of food stuck in one’s throat causing one to choke and cough: The child coughed and coughed because a piece of bread had gone down the wrong way . go the wrong way —1. take the wrong path or road: He men- tioned this to the driver, who realized that yes, in fact, we were going the wrong way . 2. = go down the wrong way: The verb “to quackle” is used in Suffolk in reference to suffocation, when caused by “drink going the wrong way .” 3. be erroneous in conduct or actions: When those rules are broken, there must be a just punishment to hinder them from going the wrong way . Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase go wrong—1. be mistaken in one’s choice or judgment: The currency is the New Zealand dollar so you can’t go wrong go bust – 148 –