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unglued

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come apart at the seams

1. To be approaching failure. Boy, this party is really coming apart at the seams. First, there was the issue with the caterer, and now half the guests aren't coming.

2. To become very emotional. Poor Jane really came apart at the seams during the funeral service. I can't watch those sappy movies because I just come apart at the seams every time.

See also: apart, come, seam

come unglued

Fig. to lose emotional control; to break out into tears or laughter. When Sally heard the joke, she almost came unglued. When the bank took away my car, I came unglued and cried and cried.

See also: come, unglued

come unglued

1. to become very upset and lose your confidence He never showed any signs of coming unglued, even when it looked like they would lose. After Dan's death, she came unglued and was never herself again.

2. to fail A year later, the local chemical industry began to come unglued.

See also: come, unglued

come apart at the seams

to be in a bad condition and about to fail or lose control Large segments of the world economy seem to be coming apart at the seams.

Related vocabulary: come apart

Etymology: from the idea that when the seams (places where two pieces of material are sewn together) in clothing come apart, it can no longer be used

See also: apart, come, seam

come unglued

 

1. (American informal) to lose control of your emotions After Dan's death she just came unglued.

2. (American informal) if a person or something they are trying to achieve comes unglued, they have problems which cause them to fail The negotiations are showing signs of coming unglued, with new questions coming up every day. The team played well in the first half but came unglued in the second.

See also: come, unglued

come apart at the seams

Also, come unglued or unstuck . Become extremely upset; break down. For example, After he lost his job Brad seemed to come apart at the seams or The proposed bank merger is coming unglued, or When her last play flopped she became completely unstuck. This idiom transfers physical to emotional disintegration. [Slang; mid-1900s]

See also: apart, come, seam

come unglued

Also, come unstuck. See come apart at the seams.

See also: come, unglued

unglued

see under come apart at the seams.

come unglued

Informal

To lose one's composure.

See also: come, unglued