go over like a lead balloon
go over like a lead balloon · goes over like a lead balloon · went over like a lead balloon · gone over like a lead balloon · going over like a lead balloon
To fail to gain acceptance: to be received poorlyTo fail to gain acceptance: to be received poorly.
» Tom's attempt at humour went over like a lead balloon.
patgfisher · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FRMeaning
1 sensesTo fail to gain acceptance: to be received poorly.
Examples
3 sentencesTom's attempt at humour went over like a lead balloon.
Ziri accidentally let go of his balloon, and it floated away.
When you go after honey with a balloon, the great thing is not to let the bees know you're coming.
Origin
Presumably from go over (“to be received”), used as if literally (“to travel above”): a lePresumably from go over (“to be received”), used as if literally (“to travel above”): a lead balloon would not travel well through the air.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
goes over like a lead balloon, going over like a lead balloon, went over like a lead balloon, gone over like a lead balloon| Base form | go over like a lead balloon · to go over like a lead balloon |
|---|---|
| 3rd person singular | goes over like a lead balloon |
| Present participle | going over like a lead balloon |
| Past simple | went over like a lead balloon |
| Past participle | gone over like a lead balloon |
irregular · Lesson
Present simpleLesson
| I, you, we, they | go over like a lead balloon |
| he, she, it | goes over like a lead balloon |
Past simpleLesson
| all persons | went over like a lead balloon |
Present perfectLesson
| I, you, we, they | have gone over like a lead balloon |
| he, she, it | has gone over like a lead balloon |
Future simple (will)Lesson
| all persons | will go over like a lead balloon |
Synonyms
1 synonymsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, irregular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle