go down like ninepins

go down like ninepins
go down/fall/drop/like ninepins phrase
used for saying that a lot of people suddenly all become ill or all fail at something

A nasty virus was going round the office and people were dropping like ninepins.

Thesaurus: to fail, or to stop being successfulsynonym to have or develop an illness or symptomsynonym
Main entry: ninepins

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go down (or drop or fall) like ninepins
Brit. succumb in large numbers or without much opposition

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ˌgo down, ˌdrop, etc. like ˈninepins idiom
(BrE, informal) to fall down or become ill/sick in great numbers

Men and horses went down like ninepins before them, in a tangle of waving limbs.

There's a lot of flu about and people are going down like ninepins.

Main entry:ninepinsidiom

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • go down like ninepins — go down/fall like ninepins British, old fashioned to be injured, or to fail in large numbers. I ve never seen so many players injured. They were going down like ninepins. (usually in continuous tenses) …   New idioms dictionary

  • go down like ninepins — ► go down (or drop or fall) like ninepins succumb in large numbers. Main Entry: ↑ninepins …   English terms dictionary

  • go drop like ninepins — ˌgo down, ˌdrop, etc. like ˈninepins idiom (BrE, informal) to fall down or become ill/sick in great numbers • Men and horses went down like ninepins before them, in a tangle of waving limbs. • There s a lot of flu about …   Useful english dictionary

  • go fall like ninepins — go down/fall like ninepins British, old fashioned to be injured, or to fail in large numbers. I ve never seen so many players injured. They were going down like ninepins. (usually in continuous tenses) …   New idioms dictionary

  • go drop like ninepins — ► go down (or drop or fall) like ninepins succumb in large numbers. Main Entry: ↑ninepins …   English terms dictionary

  • go fall like ninepins — ► go down (or drop or fall) like ninepins succumb in large numbers. Main Entry: ↑ninepins …   English terms dictionary

  • fall like ninepins — go down/fall/drop/like ninepins phrase used for saying that a lot of people suddenly all become ill or all fail at something A nasty virus was going round the office and people were dropping like ninepins. Thesaurus: to fail, or to stop being… …   Useful english dictionary

  • drop like ninepins — go down/fall/drop/like ninepins phrase used for saying that a lot of people suddenly all become ill or all fail at something A nasty virus was going round the office and people were dropping like ninepins. Thesaurus: to fail, or to stop being… …   Useful english dictionary

  • go down (or drop or fall) like ninepins — Brit. succumb in large numbers. → ninepins …   English new terms dictionary

  • go drop/fall like ninepins — ► go down (or drop or fall) like ninepins succumb in large numbers. Main Entry: ↑ninepins …   English terms dictionary

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