bellies up
Collapses and closes
Bellies up describes moving close to something, typically a bar or counter, positioning oneself frontally against it: They bellied up to the bar and ordered drinks.
The phrase evokes the image of pressing one's belly against the edge.
Less commonly, bellies up means dies or fails—from the image of a dead fish floating belly-up: Another small business bellies up.
- paunchProtruding abdomen
- overturnedTurned upside down
- capsizedFlipped upside down, nautically
- defeatedOvercome in contest
- bankruptcyLegal status when insolvent
flat broke · inverted · surrendered · abdomen · ruin · vulnerable · insolvency · stomach · liquidation · out of business · went under · supine · downfall · dead fish · toes up · dead in the water · prone · collapse
bellies upthrives
Succeeds and grows
flourishes · succeeds · prospers · takes off · booms
bellies upsurvives
Remains alive despite hardship
lives · thrives · recovers · pulls through · bounces back