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UKthe ground / floor / earth open up and swallow sb
/ðə ɡɹˈaʊnd flˈɔːɹ ˈɜːθ ˈəʊpən ˌʌp and swˈɒləʊ ˌɛsbˈiː/
/ðə ɡɹˈaʊnd flˈoːɹ ˈɜːθ ˈoʊpən ˌʌp ænd swˈɑːloʊ ˌɛsbˈiː/the ground / floor / earth open up and swallow sb
[SENTENCE]1
used to wish that one could disappear or not have existed at all so as not to have to tolerate such embarrassment
![the (ground|floor|earth) [open] up and [swallow] {sb} definition and meaning](https://cdn.langeek.co/photo/19596/original/embarrassed "the (ground|floor|earth) [open] up and [swallow] {sb} definition and meaning")
What is the origin of the idiom "the ground open up and swallow someone" and when to use it?
The origin of the idiom "the ground open up and swallow someone" can be traced back to biblical references. The phrase draws inspiration from passages in the Bible where the ground opened up and swallowed rebellious individuals as a divine punishment. This phrase is commonly used when discussing situations where someone has made a significant mistake, committed a social faux pas, or experienced a public failure, resulting in a profound sense of shame or embarrassment.
Examples
1. I wish the ground would swallow me up.
2. After my presentation, he realized his fly had been down the whole time, and he wished the ground would open up and swallow him whole.
3. Just as I wished the ground would swallow me up, Carol Marra, the other transsexual model was pointed out to me.
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