Belly-up?

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JCDenton

#387901 Wed, 04 Jul 07 01:41 PM

Hi Guys,

please what does it mean, if I say that something "went belly-up..."

What is "belly-up" ? Thank you!

JCDenton

Joined on Tue, Jul 3 2007

Europe

Regular Member (505)

Peaceblinkfriend

#387902 Wed, 04 Jul 07 01:44 PM

Hi JCDenton,

go belly up (informal)

if a business goes belly up, it fails. Factories and farms went belly up because of the debt crisis.

go belly up

to fail. My company announced layoffs, so I found another job, and then my new company went belly up.

Usage notes: usually said about business and other organizations

Etymology: based on the idea of a dead animal found lying on its back, with its belly (= stomach) facing up

(www.thefreedictionary.com)

Best wishes,

PBF

Peaceblinkfriend

Joined on Wed, May 9 2007

Australia

Contributing Member (1,579)

JCDenton

#387906 Wed, 04 Jul 07 01:50 PM

Thank you, buddy!..;-)

JCDenton

Philip

#388005 Wed, 04 Jul 07 04:54 PM

Another use of the expression is to invite people to have a drink: "belly up to the bar". This is the name of a song in the Broadway musical "The Unsinkable Molly Brown", and I believe the term existed long before the song.

Philip

Joined on Thu, Jun 23 2005

USA Pacific Northwest (Seattle)

Veteran Member (6,181)

At reise er at leve! - H. C. Andersen

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