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to go to hell in (a) handbasket
01
to rapidly and irreversibly deteriorate or decline in a manner that is likely to result in a bad outcome or failure
Dialect
American
American![to [go] to hell in (a|) (handbasket|handbag) definition and meaning](https://cdn.langeek.co/photo/40839/original/?type=jpeg "to [go] to hell in (a|) (handbasket|handbag) definition and meaning")
Disapproving
Idiom
Informal
What is the origin of the idiom "go to hell in a handbasket" and when to use it?
The origin of the phrase "go to hell in a handbasket" likely dates back to the 19th or early 20th century in the United States. The idiom "go to hell in a handbasket" is used to describe a situation or person that is rapidly deteriorating or heading towards disaster.
Examples
After the new manager arrived, the whole department went to hell in a handbasket.
