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You are here: Home / Language / What Does the Phrase “Going To Pot” Mean and How Did the Expression For Something Deteriorating Originate?

What Does the Phrase “Going To Pot” Mean and How Did the Expression For Something Deteriorating Originate?

April 13, 2020 by Karen Hill

If a relationship or a career is going to pot, it means its glory days are over.

The expression originated in 1542, long before refrigeration, and came from the urgency to save leftovers from a substantial meal before they went bad.

As a metaphor, “going to pot” means that like the leftovers from a great meal, circumstances now assign the subject to something more humble, like a stew.

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Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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