to fall flat on one's face
01
to experience an embarrassing failure in an attempt to do something
![to [fall] flat on {one's} face definition and meaning](https://cdn.langeek.co/photo/19380/original/dislike?type=jpeg "to [fall] flat on {one's} face definition and meaning")
Disapproving
Idiom
Informal
例
The actor thought he could improvise his lines, but he fell flat on his face and forgot what to say.
The athlete thought he could easily clear the high jump, but he fell flat on his face and did n't even make it over the bar.
