# go belly-up

> English word · Verb

## Definitions
1. To die.
2. To fail or fold; especially, to be closed or shut down, or go out of business.

## Etymology
From the tendency of fish to float upside down when they die.

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