on the rocks

prep_phrase

Etymology

From the allusion of a ship running aground against rocks and breaking apart. The poured over ice sense is due to ice's resemblance to rocks.

Definitions

  1. Poured over ice, usually in reference to alcoholic drinks.

    • I'll have a whisky on the rocks.
  2. In a bad state

    In a bad state; experiencing difficulties or at risk of failing.

    • I knew my business was on the rocks, so I started considering going into voluntary bankruptcy.
    • Joe and Tammy's relationship is on the rocks again.
    • Everything of interest happens in the first ten minutes. A male model called Carl (Harris Dickinson) senses after a calamitous audition that his career is already on the rocks, all washed up.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for on the rocks. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA