# balloon goes up

> English word · Phrase · IPA /bəˌluːn ɡəʊ̯z ˈʌp/

## Definitions
1. Something exciting, risky, or troublesome begins.
2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see balloon, go, up.

## Etymology
Probably from the releasing of a balloon as a signal for an event to begin, possibly popularized by the use of balloons by the British Army during World War I (1914–1918) as a signal for artillery fire to commence.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/balloon-goes-up