Jump the rails
phrase
To suddenly change situation, generally not in a good way.
The project had been going smoothly, but it totally jumped the rails when our main investor pulled out.
Often appears as...
- things went smoothly until they jumped the rails
- project jumped the rails
Usage tips
Idiomatic
phrase
For a vehicle (often a train) to derail or leave its tracks.
In horror, we watched as the speeding train jumped the rails.
Often appears as...
- train jumped the rails
- vehicle suddenly jumped the rails
phrase
To suddenly change situation, generally not in a good way.
The project had been going smoothly, but it totally jumped the rails when our main investor pulled out.
Often appears as...
- things went smoothly until they jumped the rails
- project jumped the rails
Usage tips
Idiomatic
phrase
For a vehicle (often a train) to derail or leave its tracks.
In horror, we watched as the speeding train jumped the rails.
Often appears as...
- train jumped the rails
- vehicle suddenly jumped the rails
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Connotation
Implies an unexpected negative turn in events or plans.
Our vacation jumped the rails when the storm hit.
Pro Tip 2/3Metaphorical Usage
Used metaphorically to describe plans or processes that fail.
The negotiations jumped the rails after the disagreement.
Pro Tip 3/3Conversational Tone
Common in spoken English and informal situations.
It seemed like an easy task, but it really jumped the rails.
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