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# gone pear-shaped

phrase (adjective phrase: go pear-shaped, goes, went, has gone pear-shaped; UK, Ireland, Australia)

«gone pear-shaped» in the English dictionary: in the primary school — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## In the primary school

Source: Mova's pupils' dictionary. Licence: [Elamur Cosmic License](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/LICENSE/). Reviewed: the dictionary the pupils of Mova's primary school read; its examples quote the lessons and public-domain tales. Ships with Mova.

### Meaning

1. (informal euphemism) gone wrong; failed badly.
2. (literal, rare) become shaped like a pear.

### In the lessons

Light, jokey British way to say a plan has failed; everyday informal, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand. Common in news headlines and at work.

### Examples

- The picnic went pear-shaped when the rain came.
- Everything's gone pear-shaped with the school play.
- The plan went pear-shaped when the dog ate the cake.
- If it all goes pear-shaped, call me.
- "How did the exam go?" "Totally pear-shaped."
- The company's big launch went pear-shaped.
- My science experiment went pear-shaped and fizzed everywhere.
- Things went pear-shaped after the captain got injured.

### Note

Trap: no pears involved; it means went wrong. Plain words: failed, went wrong, went badly.