head south
Travel toward warmth
Head south literally means to travel in a southerly direction: We'll head south on the interstate.
Figuratively, it means to decline, deteriorate, or fail: The economy headed south after the crash, Things headed south when the manager quit.
The figurative sense likely derives from the downward direction on maps, where south points toward the bottom.
Grow worse over time
- worsenBecome more severe
- go downhillWorsen over time
- tankLarge storage vessel
- slumpExtended period of decline
plummet · nosedive · crash · fail · collapse · depreciate · degrade · diminish
deteriorate
Grow worse over time
- worsenBecome more severe
- go downhillWorsen over time
- tankLarge storage vessel
slump · plummet · nosedive · crash · fail · collapse · depreciate · degrade · diminish · weaken
withdraw
Remove or pull away
fall back · pull out · bug out · scatter · disperse · bolt · abscond · decamp · desert · abandon
journey
Travel from place to place
snowbird · winter · relocate · move · travel · commute · trek · venture · caravan · expedition
- navigation phrasesturn left, turn right, go straight, u-turn, bear left
- directionsnorth, east, west, left, right