down the tubes

Idioms

Also, down the tube. Into a state of failure or ruin, as in If he failed the test, his chances went down the tubes. ] Colloquial; 1960s] Also see down the drain.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"From that point on I have always had a soft spot for them, but I started focusing on them more and more as Scottish football started to go down the tubes a little bit."

From BBC • Feb. 29, 2024

I’m distressed to think Seattle is going down the tubes and hope voters take time to study each candidate up for election.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 23, 2021

I got to really face the reality of that because it was my dress and if it didn't sell, my job was going to go down the tubes and the company down the tubes.

From Salon • Apr. 10, 2020

What’s the point of risking him further in a season already down the tubes?

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 19, 2019

“A year’s worth of work goin’ down the tubes in a New York second.”

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023