arse over tit
Head over heels
Arse over tit is British slang for tumbling head over heels, falling in a spectacular or undignified way: He tripped on the kerb and went arse over tit.
The phrase emphasizes the chaotic inversion of a fall.
Sometimes used figuratively for things going badly wrong.
Also *arse over teakettle* in some dialects.
- tumbleUncontrolled rolling descent
- take a tumbleFall down suddenly
- fallDescend under gravity
- topsy-turvyInverted or disordered
- tripPlanned travel somewhere
slip · accident · head over heels · end over end · somersault · lurch · come a cropper · cropper · stagger · topple · colloquialism · flipping · bass-ackwards · mishap · comedy · collapse · crash · blunder
arse over titupright
Vertical or morally sound
balanced · sure-footed · right side up · steady · planted
arse over titgracefully
With elegant movement
elegantly · smoothly · daintily · nimbly · light on one's feet
arse over titmethodically
In an organized manner
systematically · according to plan · smoothly · without a hitch · like clockwork