takes a dive
Loses on purpose
Takes a dive means to lose deliberately, especially in boxing or other sports where a fighter pretends to be knocked out: The boxer took a dive in the third round.
The phrase extends to any intentional failure or sudden decline: The stock took a dive after the scandal.
In the deliberate-loss sense, it implies corruption or collusion.
- nosediveSudden steep descent
- free fallUnimpeded gravitational descent
- plummetRapid downward descent
- sinkBasin with drain
- going downMoving in downward direction
sandbagging · fall · collusion · underhandedness · collapse · drop · manipulation · tumble · fixing · match fixing · point shaving · tanking · cheating · inside job · rigging · slump · decline · plunge