tits up

See also: titsup and tits-up

English

Etymology

Perhaps derives from an expired animal lying on its back, or the behaviour of aeroplanes' attitude indicators, which in some regional conventions turn upside down when faulty and display an inverted 'W' resembling a pair of breasts.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Adjective

tits up (not comparable)

1. (idiomatic, slang, vulgar) Broken; failed; inoperable.
   • 1987, Nora Roberts, Daring to dream, page 157:

     The vast majority go tits up in the first year. Basic economics, even if the people have some training and education in retail.

   • 2007, Gemma Townley, The Hopeless Romantic's Handbook, page 102:

     But believe me, sunshine, if this show goes tits up, none of us are going to come out smelling of roses."

2. (idiomatic, slang, vulgar) Dead.
3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see tits,‎ up.

Alternative forms

• tits-up, titsup

Verb

tits up

1. third-person singular simple present indicative of tit up

Anagrams

• titups