go downhill

go downhill

To steadily worsen. After my parents opened my report card and saw how bad my grades were, it all went downhill from there. You better come to the hospital right away—Great-Uncle Edmund's health had really gone downhill.See also: downhill, go

go downhill

[for something] to decline and grow worse and worse. This industry is going downhill. We lose money every year. As one gets older, one's health tends to go downhill.See also: downhill, go

go downhill

Deteriorate, worsen, as in Ever since the recession began, the business has been going downhill. The figurative use of downhill for "decline" dates from the mid-1800s. Also see downhill all the way. See also: downhill, go

go downhill

COMMON1. If something goes downhill, it becomes worse or less successful. Since I started to work longer hours things have gone steadily downhill. We were amazed at the speed with which the weather was going downhill. Note: Downhill can be used in many structures connected with becoming worse or less successful. For the movie business, it was all downhill from there. His career was heading downhill fast.2. If someone goes downhill, they become more ill. In February 1825 Maria became ill, was sent home, rapidly went downhill and died aged 11.See also: downhill, go

go downhill

become worse; deteriorate.See also: downhill, go

ˌgo downˈhill

get worse: My work has been going downhill ever since my divorce. ♢ This restaurant has definitely gone downhill since I last came here.See also: downhill, go

go downhill

in. to decline. Things began to go downhill when the county cut the maintenance budget. See also: downhill, go

go downhill

Deteriorate, decline. Although it would seem that going down a hill is easier than going up, downhill has meant a decline since the 1500s, although Daniel Defoe also used it in the sense of easy (“a very short cut, and all down hill,” Robinson Crusoe, 1719). An 1856 history of England had the sense of declining: “The monks had traveled swiftly on the downhill road of human corruption.” See also: downhill, go