fall flat

fall flat (third-person singular simple present falls flat, present participle falling flat, simple past fell flat, past participle fallen flat)

1. To produce no effect; to fail in the intended effect.

   The politician's speech fell flat.

   • 1847, John Campbell, 1st Baron Campbell, The Lives of the Lord Chancellors and Keepers of the Great Seal of England, volume VI, page 518:

     When Sir Walter Scott, with a view to profit rather than fame, published "Paul's Letters to his Kinsfolk," with some very indifferent verses to celebrate the battle of Waterloo, Erskine, sitting at table, came out with the following impromptu:—

     "On Waterloo's ensanguined plain
     Lie tens of thousands of the slain;
     But none, by sabre or by shot,
     Fell half so flat as Walter Scott."

   • 2012 May 13, Alistair Magowan, “Sunderland 0-1 Man Utd”, in BBC Sport‎:

     United were made to pay for letting an eight-point lead as little as five weeks ago slip and, despite their final-day efforts, they will look back on a season where, when they needed to step up, they fell flat.

   • 2023 June 28, Lauren Coates, “Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny review: Harrison Ford goes to the whip”, in AV Club‎:

     Although emotions are almost entirely absent and the comedy routinely falls flat, where Dial Of Destiny is able to succeed are the action sequences.

• fall flat on one's face