PhrasesHub

Dash to pieces

    Definitions

      Examples of Dash to pieces

      • Her story fell apart, dashing her chances of ever working in that field again.

        The term 'fell apart' is used here as a figurative expression to mean that her story lost its integrity, thus shattering her career prospects. The use of 'dash' in this idiom implies sudden and sharp destruction in the form of shattering into pieces, and the word 'pieces' further emphasizes the degree and extent of such destruction.

      • His plan backfired, dashing his hopes of earning a large sum of money.

        In this context, 'dashing' refers to the sudden and unexpected failure or collapse of hopes, leading to a complete and dispiriting loss of expectation. The word 'backfired' here refers to the incident turning out to be the direct opposite of what was intended, leading to devastating consequences for the person involved. The term 'hopes' is used to refer to the individual's optimistic expectations, while 'pieces' here signifies the irreparable and fragmentary nature of the resulting loss.

      • Her name was besmirched, dashing her reputation beyond repair.

        The term 'besmirched' is used here as a figurative expression to mean that her good name or prestige was tarnished beyond repair. The use of 'dash' here again refers to the sudden and unexpected devastation of the individual's reputation, leading to a complete and shattering loss of reputation. The word 'beyond repair' further highlights the permanent and irreversible nature of such destruction.

      • Their business venture crumbled, dashing their dreams of financial independence.

        In this context, 'crumbled' implies the sudden and unexpected collapse of the individual's business venture, leading to a total and complete loss of financial independence. The use of 'dash' here again highlights the devastating and shattering nature of such collapse. The term 'dreams' here is used to refer to the individual's ambitions and aspirations, emphasizing the extent and depth of loss incurred due to the collapse of the business venture.Note: The examples and explanations are given as per the standard understanding of the meaning of terms according to modern times. The meanings of terms may vary according to regional dialects, the era of time, and individual interpretations.

      • The idea of starting a business had been dancing around in his head for years, but as soon as he took a single step in that direction, it all seemed to dash to pieces.

        When something seems to crumble and fall apart suddenly and completely, we say that it dashes to pieces. In this example, the person’s dream of starting a business seemed to collapse completely as soon as he took the first step.

      • She thought that the meeting would go smoothly, but then a sudden disagreement threw everything into confusion and it all dashed to pieces.

        When something that seems stable and organized suddenly falls apart completely, we say that it dashes to pieces. In this example, the meeting that the person thought would go smoothly was disrupted by a sudden disagreement, causing everything to fall apart.

      • His confidence had been shaken by the failure of his last project, and when the unexpected happened, it was like a straw breaking the camel’s back. Everything dashed to pieces.

        When a number of small problems or setbacks combine to cause a much greater problem or failure, we say that everything dashes to pieces. In this example, the person’s confidence was already shaken by the failure of his last project, and when something unexpected happened, it was like the final straw, causing everything to fall apart.

      • She had been struggling with her project for days, but as soon as she received some negative feedback, it all seemed to dash to pieces.

        When something seems to crumble and fall apart suddenly and completely as a result of a specific event or piece of information, we say that it dashes to pieces. In this example, the person received some negative feedback about her project, causing everything to fall apart suddenly and completely.


      Conclusion

      In conclusion, the idiom "dash to pieces" is commonly used to express the idea of complete and utter destruction. It can be used in a variety of contexts, such as describing the destruction of physical objects or the ruin of someone's hopes or dreams.

      Origin of "Dash to pieces"

      The origin of the idiom "dash to pieces" is believed to come from the verb "dash," which can mean to smash or break something violently. The word "pieces" refers to small fragments or parts, emphasizing the idea of something being completely broken apart.

      The idiom has been in use since at least the 17th century, with early examples found in literature and plays from that time period. It has since become a common phrase in the English language, often used in both formal and informal settings.

      One possible origin of the idiom could be from the Bible, specifically Psalm 2:9 which reads, "Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." This biblical reference could have influenced the use of the phrase to convey destruction and ruin.

      Overall, the idiom "dash to pieces" has a long history and has become a widely used phrase in the English language to convey the idea of complete destruction.