be the end of one


Be one's downfall, as in His heavy drinking may well be the end of him, or That math assignment will be the end of me. This phrase originally alluded to something that would cause someone's death. Today, while it may be used seriously (as in the first example), it more often is used more lightly (as in the second).

Words Nearby be the end of one

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.