die on the vine
Fail before fruition
Die on the vine means to fail or wither from neglect before reaching fruition, like grapes left unharvested.
Projects, ideas, and proposals die on the vine when they lose momentum or support before completion: The reform bill died on the vine when Congress adjourned.
The phrase emphasizes waste—something that could have succeeded if properly tended.
- shrivelContract from dryness
- witherDry and decay
- wiltLose vigor, sag
- waste awayDecline through neglect
- fizzleFail after promising start
lose steam · run out of gas · fail · dead in the water · go nowhere · fall by the wayside · dry · futility · abort · atrophy · abandon · brown · flounder · come to nothing · stillborn · neglect · gather dust · left to rot
momentum/vitality
die on the vinetake root
Become firmly fixed
gain momentum · pick up steam · snowball · catch fire · take hold