🗓️ Idiom: Go Down Like a Lead Balloon (VerbPhrase)
💬 Meaning
- Be completely unsuccessful or badly received.
- Fail to attract interest, approval, or laughter.
🧠 Example Sentences
- His attempt at a joke went down like a lead balloon during the meeting.
- The idea went down like a lead balloon with the board of directors.
- Her new slogan went down like a lead balloon, so they quickly dropped it.
🏛️ Origin
This idiom likely originated in the mid-1900s. A lead balloon would be far too heavy to float, so it would fall immediately. The phrase humorously suggests that something, like a joke or idea, fails completely. Just like a balloon made of lead would fail to fly.
📝 Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blank:
The campaign message ___________ and had no impact on voters.
Answer
went down like a lead balloon
2. Choose the best meaning of “go down like a lead balloon”:
a) Be very successful
b) Fail badly or be rejected
c) Float smoothly
Answer
b) Fail badly or be rejected
3. Change the sentence using “go down like a lead balloon”:
“Her comment didn’t go over well with the team.”
Answer
Her comment went down like a lead balloon.
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