Question to the (Queen's) English-speaking authors...

[Cobalt Frost]

I say "Queen's English" because I'm looking for a British colloquialism that's equivalent to "and then it all went to hell/got FUBAR", that sort of thing. Thanks in advance!!

 

[Methos]

went to hell is normally good...

screwed up, messed up... those sort of things...

depends on use really, and the speaker's tone

M

 

[MacLeod]

Also could depend on the speaker. i.e if it were a British speaker he/she might go for understatment. i.e

"It didn't go quite according plan" , "Things got a bit sticky"

Without the context of where it is being used it hard to say. There is the saying "It went pear shaped"

 

[Cobalt Frost]

Thanks y'all! I might use "pear shaped". Basically, the character is describing a situation she was in that deteriorated rapidly, i.e. "things went to hell."

 

[Thor Damar]

If you want your characters to act very Britishly have them say that its 'getting a bit dicey' or 'that's a touch awkward' and then take a slip from a cuppa.

 

[Andrew_Kearley]

"Everything's gone tits up!" - that's the phrase you want.

 

[Tiberius]

I was about to say "tits up" too, and I would also have added an "Old chap" to the end.