go under

British  

verb

1. (also preposition) to sink below (a surface)

2. to founder or drown

3. to be conquered or overwhelmed

   the firm went under in the economic crisis

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go under Idioms  

1. Suffer defeat or destruction; fail. For example, We feared the business would go under after the founder died . [Mid-1800s]

2. Lose consciousness. For example, Ether was the first anesthetic to make patients go under quickly and completely . This usage dates from the 1930s.

3. Submerge, sink, as in This leaky boat is about to go under .

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Example Sentences

To promote his call for a separate air force, Mitchell exaggerated the outcome—including the apocryphal claim that admirals witnessing the demonstration “wept aloud” as the target went under.

From Los Angeles Times

The case managers said partners pushed surgeries and would give bonuses when clients went under the knife.

From Los Angeles Times

The number of homes going under contract in the U.S. rose for a fourth-straight month in November, according to a monthly index, with the strongest performance observed in the West Region.

From The Wall Street Journal

Savvy investors know this story already: A 300% rise for a stock with a large market capitalization doesn’t often go under the radar.

From Barron's

In November, prices rose to a new monthly high, the typical home took 7 days longer to go under contract than a year prior, and new listings decreased to a new monthly low.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bankrupt
• drown