# come a cropper

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/come-a-cropper
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To suffer some accident or misfortune; to fail.

## Examples

- He tried to ride the bike too fast and came a cropper.
- You will come a cropper if you try to walk on that slippery ice.
- His secret plan comes a cropper because he tells too many people about it.
- The company came a cropper when they invested all their money in a failing project.
- The young athlete came a cropper during the final lap when she tripped over a loose piece of track.
- Many new restaurants come a cropper in their first year because they do not understand the local market.
- Despite his careful planning, the ambitious politician came a cropper after a scandal surfaced during the final week of the campaign.

## Origin

Possibly from the phrase *neck and crop*, in which *crop* may refer to the backside of a horse. This origin is unproven, though the expression suggests a fall in which the rider is thrown forward over the animal's neck, bringing the horse's rear over its own head. This particular sequence of events was considered an inconvenient method of dismounting. (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.