flake out

verb

1. informal,  to collapse or fall asleep as through extreme exhaustion

Idioms and Phrases

Drop from exhaustion, faint. For example, After running the marathon, be simply flaked out on the ground . This expression possibly is derived from a now obsolete meaning of flake , “to become flabby or fall in folds.” [ Slang ; c. 1940]

Lie down, go to sleep, as in Homeless persons flaked out in doorways . [ Slang ; early 1940s]

Lose one's nerve, as in Please don't flake out now . [ Slang ; 1950s]

Go crazy; also, cause someone to go crazy. For example, She just flaked out and we had to call an ambulance , or This project is flaking us out . The usages in def. 3 and 4 probably are derived from the adjective flaky , meaning “eccentric.” [c. 1970]

Die, as in He flaked out last night . [1960s]

Surprise, astonish, as in She said she'd just been made a partner, and that flaked me out . This usage appears to be a variant of freak out . [c. 1970]

Example Sentences

“Some people will always flake out, but I found that people also appreciated being invited in, and someone else making it happen.”

From Seattle Times

If your Wi-Fi is flaking out, slowing to a crawl, or dropping at inopportune moments, here’s how to get it back in business, ranging from free and simple to complicated and kinda expensive.

From The Verge

“I think what he did was absolutely right to take himself out of the microcosm of Formula One and step aside and flake out socially,” he added.

From Seattle Times

More substantively, selling to an iBuyer appeals to homeowners who prize convenience, need to sell quickly, and want to be certain that the buyer will consummate the transaction and not flake out.

From Seattle Times

But then, inevitably, he flakes out and disappears.

From New York Times

Related Words

• bow 
• break down 
• buckle 
• capitulate 
• cave in 
• cease 
• defer 
• give in 
• give way 
• go down 
• pass away 
• perish 
• quit 
• wilt 
• yield