ENGLISH
REFERENCE

lay an egg

idiom
Meaning

To produce a failure or flop; to do something which is unsuccessful.


Examples
SIMPLE

The comedian really laid an egg during his performance last night.

CONTEXTUAL

The team spent months preparing for the product launch, but it laid an egg when nobody bought the new device.

COMPLEX

Despite the massive budget and high expectations, the director's latest film laid an egg at the box office, leaving critics and investors deeply disappointed.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    a wild goose never laid a tame egg

    Most things are inherited and predetermined.

  2. 02

    bad egg

    Someone whose behaviour is reprehensible or irresponsible; a rogue.

  3. 03

    borrow and beg

    [Cockney slang]egg

  4. 04

    curate's egg

    A thing which has good and bad parts, but is overall spoiled by the bad.

  5. 05

    egg on

    To encourage or coax (a person) to do something, especially something foolhardy or reckless.

  6. 06

    good egg

    A good person, someone to be trusted; a friend.

  7. 07

    lay a finger on

    To merely touch.

  8. 08

    lay an anchor to the windward

    To adopt precautionary or anticipatory measures for potential future success or security.

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