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The Wheels Fell Off

What Does "The Wheels Fell Off" Mean?

homeidiomsThe Wheels Fell Off
"The wheels fell off" is an English idiom describing a situation where things go wrong, plans fail, or a project encounters severe difficulties, often leading to failure or chaos.

Examples in Sentences

Here are three examples of the idiom "the wheels fell off" used in a sentence:
  • After a promising start, the wheels fell off the project due to mismanagement.
  • Their campaign was going smoothly until the scandal broke out, and then the wheels fell off.
  • We were close to success, but when the main investor pulled out, the wheels fell off.
meaning for the wheels fell off

What Is an Idiom?

An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "The Wheels Fell Off" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.

An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.

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