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to go to Nopeville

to go to Nopeville

9.9
Head toward failure with no chance of a good outcome
  • idiom
  • Slang
translation icon : ir a la tierra de nadie
  • Without more support, this startup could go to Nopeville by the end of the year.

Examples

  • The team's communication breakdown made the project go to Nopeville quickly.

  • Don't go to Nopeville with that idea!

  • If we ignore these warning signs, the whole plan will go to Nopeville in no time.

  • I can't believe you went to Nopeville with that plan.

  • If we ignore these warning signs, the whole plan will go to Nopeville in no time.

  • The team's communication breakdown made the project go to Nopeville quickly.

  • Without more support, this startup could go to Nopeville by the end of the year.

Synonyms

to go wrong
vsto go to Nopeville
495 2.4

To fail or happen in a bad way

is about moving toward a hopeless outcome rather than only a mishap
to go nowhere
vsto go to Nopeville
119 4.6

Fail to make progress or get any result

is about moving toward failure rather than merely stalled progress
to come to nothing
vsto go to Nopeville
6 4.6

Fail to produce any result

is about moving toward failure rather than finishing there
to go nowhere fast
vsto go to Nopeville
  • Informal
3 5.5

Fail to make progress even when you try hard

is about heading toward failure rather than failing despite effort

Antonyms

To make slow progress when it is difficult

How Doomed

to collapse
579 3.9
to go to Nopeville
  • Slang
9.9
to go wrong
495 2.4
struggle
466 3.2

Surface Forms

go to Nopeville infinitive
going to Nopeville present participle
goes to Nopeville third person singular
gone to Nopeville past participle

Morphology

go + to + Nopeville

The expression combines the transparent motion frame 'go to' with a coined place name 'Nopeville' (nope + -ville), so a learner who recognises 'nope' as a negative response and the place-forming '-ville' can infer a figurative destination of rejection or failure. Because the place-name is slangy, novel and metaphorical rather than literal, the meaning is inferable but not fully predictable for an average B1 learner without prior exposure.

Etymology

Go to Nopeville gives a funny picture of a place called 'Nopeville' where nothing works and everyone says 'nope', like a town of dead ends. So when something goes to Nopeville it means it is heading for 'failure' or a situation with no positive outcome.