Global Conversation: Success and Failure

Success
Pass with flying colours / To do extremely well / “I didn’t think I’d done so well in that exam but I passed with flying colours!” / Originally referred to the flags (‘colours’) flown by military units following victory
Come up trumps / A surprising success / “I didn’t think that business idea would work but it’s come up trumps.” / An expression from card games – a winning hand
In the bag / To be certain of something / “That exam went well – I’ve got that module in the bag.”
Go great guns / To be in a very successful phase / “David started the semester a little shakily, but now he’s going great guns!”
Flying / To have become successful / “After a bit of a slow start this semester, Rachael’s really flying now!”
Nail it / own it / smash it / To be sure of success / “How did you get on in the exam?” “No problem – nailed it!” / “It” is a common component of English slang and idioms
Come a long way / To do well after an unpromising start / “Clare has come a long way since she opened that first small café on West Street.”
Sail through / To pass without difficulty / “Jane worked very hard and sailed through the second-year exams.”
Rise to the occasion / To prove your ability in challenging circumstances / “Many people doubted Phil’s ability, but when it came to the final exams he rose to the occasion.”
Failure
Nightmare / Mare / A disastrous performance / “I don’t think any of the United team are playing particularly well, but the goalkeeper’s having a mare!” / ‘Mare’ is a shortened version, common in slang
Go up in smoke / To end in failure / “After an exam like that his chances of getting a distinction have gone up in smoke.”
Dead in the water / Doomed to failure / “After losing the referendum vote, Cameron’s political ambitions are dead in the water.”
Fall flat / To lose hope of success / “Paul’s presentation promised a lot at the start but ended up falling flat.”
Bomb / Fail spectacularly / “I can’t believe how badly I did in that exam – I really bombed!”
Shocker / stinker / Spectacular failure / “That’s the worst exam I think I’ve ever done – an absolute shocker!”
Disaster written all over it / Certain to be a failure / “Steve’s business plan has got disaster written all over it.”
Won’t get off the ground / Doomed to failure / “Ryan hasn’t planned that project at all well – I’ll be surprised it gets off the ground.”