come up smelling of roses
Land on feet
To come up smelling of roses is to emerge from a difficult or potentially damaging situation with one's reputation intact or even enhanced.
The phrase often implies luck or cunning rather than merit—someone escapes blame or scandal that might have stuck to others: He was involved in the cover-up, but somehow came up smelling of roses.
Also phrased as come out smelling like a rose.
- unscathedSuffering no injury
- emergeCome out into view
- vindicatedCleared of accusation
- triumphResounding, celebrated victory
- surviveContinue to exist
come out on top · success · acquittal · untarnished · walk away clean · winning · turn the tables · achieving · pull through · dodge a bullet · exonerated · bounce back · conquering · prospering · overcoming · clean hands · favorable · rise above
come up smelling of rosescrash and burn
Fail completely and visibly
fall flat on one's face · go down in flames · come a cropper · bite the dust · come unstuck
come up smelling of rosesface the music
Accept deserved consequences
pay the price · take the fall · reap what one sows · be left holding the baby · have egg on one's face
coming, upping, smells, smelled, smelling, smelly, smellier, smelliest, rosiest