go over like a lead balloon
Bomb with audience
To go over like a lead balloon is to fail completely, especially when something intended to impress or amuse falls flat.
The image is of a balloon that should float but instead plummets: My suggestion to cut everyone's vacation time went over like a lead balloon.
The phrase emphasizes how badly received something was.
- sink like a stoneDescend rapidly through water
- bombExplosive device or disaster
- dead on arrivalLifeless upon reaching destination
- lay an eggFail utterly, especially performing
- failBe unsuccessful
flop · dud · fizzle out · die on the vine · tank · crash and burn · strike out · fall flat · disaster · bomb squad · embarrassment · bite the dust · awkwardness · silence · tough crowd · debacle · backfire · fiasco
go over like a lead balloonbring the house down
Overwhelm with spectacular performance
knock it out of the park · slay · kill it · hit the mark · strike a chord
likeness, likeable, leaden, leading, balloon, balloons, ballooning, balloonist