crap out

crap out idiom
  1. Back down, quit, When it got to the point of putting up some money, Jack crapped out. This expression originated in the game of craps, where it means to make a first throw (of the dice) of two, three, or twelve, thereby losing. [Slang; 1920s]
  2. Go to sleep. This usage was military slang for sleeping during work hours or during a crap game. [Slang; c. 1940]
  3. Die, as in He's really sick; he could crap out any time. This usage is less common than def. 1 or def. 2. [Slang; 1920s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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