Surely lead balloons go down brilliantly?
Am I missing something here?
2006-10-04 01:12:51 · 16 answers · asked by Julian P Wildebeest 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
When you say that something went down like a lead balloon, it means that it was a total disaster. A balloon is something festive and welcome, unless it is made of lead and falls.
A balloon made of lead would not go up in the air and if you make a joke and nobody laughs, this means it wasn't successful and failed rather like a lead balloon dropping. Lead of course is a heavy metallic substance used in roofs.
2006-10-04 01:14:12 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lead Balloon Meaning
2016-11-14 19:52:13 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Balloons are supposed to float, lead doesn't. The original phrase is "went over like a lead balloon" meaning, it didn't fly. A lead balloon doesn't achieve the purpose and would not be well recieved, esp. if launched from a hieght and fell on someone's head! So whatever it was didn't work, and got negative feedback.
2006-10-04 01:19:52 · answer #3 · answered by anna 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well the expression is actually "went OVER like a lead balloon"...which should make alot more sense to you, I'm guessing. Lead is heavy--if a balloon was made of lead, it wouldn't float very easily...it wouldn't "go over" very well...this is a simile for when something that someone says or does is not received well...example: "The news that gasoline prices were expected to rise went over like a lead balloon." Make sense?
2006-10-04 01:20:15 · answer #4 · answered by peachy78 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would go down brilliantly. But would go very well from the balloon side of things would it?
2006-10-04 01:15:13 · answer #5 · answered by Sean R 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe you're just from a different part of the country, or a different country entirely (I'm American); but over here, we actually say that it "went OVER like a lead balloon", which is to say: it didn't fly at all...
2006-10-04 03:24:17 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No kidding - If I were "going down" I would certaily WANT to go down like a lead balloon.....think about it. It would be a fast fall, not stops and you MAY bounce but otherwise be OK! Now if you went down like a wet bag of flower - THEN you're in trouble!
Kinda like those "black boxes" on ariplanes...make me one of those when the SH&% hits the fan - invincible.
Interesting thought....to be pondered over coffee.
2006-10-04 01:17:18 · answer #7 · answered by Barbara 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lead is very heavy and it doesn't float which means that a balloon made out of lead is not going to do it's job, which is floating.
2006-10-04 02:38:39 · answer #8 · answered by panchorific 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The point is that lead balloons go down very fast, like so many phrases such as "as much use as a Chocolate teapot," they can be misinterpreted, is a chocolate teapot a teapot for holding chocolate or a teapot made of chocolate?
2006-10-04 01:23:10 · answer #9 · answered by Nimbus 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
have you ever tried flying a lead balloon- ?? you've answered your own question
but it makes you think of all the odd sayings you say on a daily basis and don't really think about what they mean!- good question!
2006-10-04 01:31:05 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋