Take a Nosedive

Meaning of Idiom ‘Take a Nosedive’

1. Of an aircraft, to go into a sudden and rapid descent with the nose of the aircraft pointed at the ground. 1

2. Of a person, to fall face first toward the ground. 2

3. to fall suddenly and quickly; to fail to hold one’s position; a sudden rapid decline to collapse or fail. 3,4

4. Of a person’s health, to decline rapidly.5

Also used: go into a nosedive

Sentence Examples

“I don’t like to fly on small planes. The first one I went on took a nosedive and we almost hit the ground before the pilot managed to pull up.”

“My brother was playing with the shopping carts in the grocery store parking lot and somehow took a nosedive onto the asphalt.”

“Company shares took a nosedive today after a steady decline in value over the last few months.”

“Everything was looking better but then the stock market took a nosedive.”

“The singer’s reputation took a nosedive when he was accused of domestic abuse.”

“My popularity took a nose-dive. No more gigs. We did a new record, Samurai. But no one wanted to buy it.” — Matti (2006)

“I don’t know what you did, man, but your chances of survival just took a nosedive.” — Banshee: Wicks (2013)

“And post-op is so jammed, they’re piling the wounded in my office. I don’t know what to do. We can’t put ’em outside because the thermometer just took another nosedive.” — M*A*S*H: Dreams (1980)

“The house is in hock to the bank, you’ve got creditors galore, and the business took a nosedive 15 months ago with no chance of recovery.” — A Touch of Frost: Not with Kindness (1992)

“And now back to the financial news. Shares of E-Mate took an Enron-esque nosedive today. The company’s effort to break into the break-up business bombed.” — The Break-Up Artist (2009)

“Hey, anyone see that Thanksgiving parade this morning? See that Rockette? She took a nosedive right off the side of the float.” — The King of Queens: Thanks, Man (2003)

“Maybe you should consider this, Mr. Poole: Your stock took a nosedive last quarter and you have shareholders meeting in three days.” — Queer as Folk: Pride (2002)

“Your flight training scores went down six weeks in a row, a missed weapons check, unsecured cockpit.” “Yes, ma’am. My performance took a nosedive. I requested temporary removal from flight status.”  — JAG: Against All Enemies (1997)

Origin

The term nosedive (often as two words) has been used since the 1910s to refer to the sudden fall of a plane with the nose of the aircraft facing down. It was used as a noun as early as 1912 in Flight International, as a verb in 1915, and as an adjective in 1931. 6,7

In this idiom, ‘take a nosedive,’ the word ‘take’ is used to mean ‘experience or be affected by something.’ So, to take a nosedive is to experience a nosedive. The phrase has been used since at least the 1950s, both about aircraft and in general.

References
  1. ”take a nosedive.” Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. 2015. Farlex, Inc 16 Oct. 2024 https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/take+a+nosedive
  2. ”take a nosedive.” Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. 2015. Farlex, Inc 16 Oct. 2024 https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/take+a+nosedive
  3. Brenner, Gail. Webster’s New World American Idioms Handbook. John Wiley & Sons, 2011.
  4. Spears, Richard A. McGraw-Hill’s American Idioms Dictionary. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2008.
  5. ”take a nosedive.” Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. 2015. Farlex, Inc 16 Oct. 2024 https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/take+a+nosedive
  6. “Nosedive, V.” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, July 2023, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/1205069625.
  7. “Nosedive, N.” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, July 2023, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/1143904336.