# balloon goes up

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/balloon-goes-up
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Something exciting, risky, or troublesome begins.

## Examples

- Everyone gets nervous when the balloon goes up.
- We have finished the preparations, so we must be ready for when the balloon goes up tomorrow morning.
- The tension in the room was palpable as the team waited for the balloon to go up and the consequences of their risky plan to unfold.

## Origin

Probably from the releasing of a balloon as a signal for an event to begin, possibly popularized by the use of balloons by the British Army during World War I (1914–1918) as a signal for artillery fire to commence. (disputed)

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.