auger in
When a plane spins around and crashes straight down into the ground like a drill.
Meanings
Of an aircraft: to crash into the ground in an uncontrolled, spiraling, nose-first dive.
"The engine failed and the biplane augered in just beyond the airfield perimeter."
(Figurative) To fail suddenly and completely, especially in a spectacular or irreversible way.
"The startup augered in after the CEO resigned and funding dried up overnight."
Highly specialized aviation and military slang. An 'auger' is a spiral drilling tool; the phrase vividly describes a spinning, nose-first crash. Rarely used outside aviation circles. Can be used figuratively for any sudden, catastrophic failure. Learners are unlikely to need to use this phrase actively.
Commonly used with
Forms
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