# go down the pan

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/go-down-the-pan
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Synonym of go down the toilet: to fail; to degenerate rapidly.

## Examples

- If we miss this deadline, the whole project will go down the pan.
- After the main investor pulled out unexpectedly, the entire business venture started to go down the pan.
- Despite their initial optimism, the company’s reputation began to go down the pan once the scandal became public knowledge.

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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.