How to Pronounce "go belly up"
expression
GOH BEL-ee UHP
gOH BEL-ee UP
Definition
If a company or project goes belly up, it fails completely or becomes bankrupt. The expression can also be used more generally to mean that something stops working or collapses.
IPA Transcription
American English
ˈɡoʊ/ /ˈbɛɫi/ /ˈəp
British English
ɡˈəʊ/ /bˈɛli/ /ˈʌp
Simplified Pronunciation
US
GOH BEL-ee UHP
UK
gOH BEL-ee UP
Listen in Context
The restaurant went belly up after only six months.
Many small shops go belly up during tough economic times.
If the project goes belly up, we'll lose our investment.
Their plan looked good at first but then it just went belly up overnight.