English, baby!

crash and burn

Date: Oct 25 2001

Quote

1. Quote - Listen to the quote and guess what the slang means.

“It would either crash and burn or be an incredible film.”
- Burt Reynolds, actor, talking about the film Boogie Nights.

Definition

1. Definition - Study the definition.

fail completely; be totally unsuccessful

2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.

You can use “crash and burn” whenever you want to tell someone that you failed. It’s a great way to emphasize the fact that you know you were unsuccessful.
“Crash and burn” is usually used in an informal way. You wouldn’t want to tell your teacher or your boss that you “crashed and burned.” Rather, it’s an almost playful way of describing your failure, so you should use it with your friends and family.

Examples

1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.

””That test was so hard! I know I totally crashed and burned. I don’t even want to see my grade.”“

””I know I’ll crash and burn if I even try to talk to Michelle. I get so nervous when I see her. She’ll probably think I’m an idiot.”“

””I’m not going to crash and burn this time. I’ve been practicing all summer and I know I’m much better than I was before.”“

Winners

1. Winners - See who guessed the slang definition correctly.

“Crash and burn” means to drop off from exhaustion or to fail utterly.
by Alfonso (Spain)
Crash and burn is Slang: 1. To fail utterly. 2. To fall asleep from exhaustion. 3. To wipe out, as in skateboarding.
by John (Taipei, Taiwan)
This expression belongs to the Australian Slang and means: (1)Collapse from exhaustion, (2)Fail miserably when trying to pick someone up.
by José (Huelva, Spain)
I think it means: A total failure. When you cannot achieve the expected goals, or when a project does not come to a desirable end.
by MARIO (Tampico, Tamps Mexico)
I think “crash and burn” means the folow: You make this plan work or we are in big trouble.
by Luciano (Brazil)
The film would either fail to reach success and doom the whole cast and director as if in a car crash, or be a success, a hit.
by Célia (Brazil)
In my opinion, the “crash and burn” means: a complete failure in contrast to the success.
by Nan (P.R.China)
I think “crash and burn” means a complete failure.
by Ren
It means fail, utterly failure.
by Sally
I think that something is crash and burn when it is a fiasco, when nobody likes it.
by Cristina