Come to grief

Meaning

The idiom "come to grief" means to suffer a misfortune or disaster, often involving damage or loss. It can also refer to an event that leads to the end of something, such as a relationship or business.

Usage

• After their car broke down on the highway, the family came to grief and had to spend hours waiting for help.
• The stock market crash of 1929 led many investors to come to grief and lose all their savings.
• When her husband cheated on her, she knew it was time to end the relationship and let go of the hurt.
• After years of struggling to keep his business afloat, he finally came to grief and had to declare bankruptcy.
• The sudden death of a loved one can come to grief and leave behind a void that is hard to fill.

Roots and History

The idiom "come to grief" has its roots in Old English, where it was written as "geafodan" or "geafodian". It originally meant to suffer harm or damage, and was used to describe a physical injury or illness. Over time, the meaning of the idiom evolved to include more abstract concepts such as financial loss or emotional distress.

Synonyms in English

• Misfortune
• Disaster
• Tragedy
• Calamity
• Catastrophe

Synonyms in other languages

• German: "Unglück" - meaning misfortune or bad luck
• French: "Malheureux" - meaning unfortunate or unlucky
• Spanish: "Desgracia" - meaning calamity or misfortune
• Italian: "Tragedia" - meaning tragedy
• Russian: "Катастрофа" - meaning catastrophe

Similar Idioms

• cut the crap

• red flag

• death knell