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go/fall to pieces

Definition

C2 If someone goes/falls to pieces, they become unable to think clearly and control their emotions because of something unpleasant or difficult that they have experienced: She just goes (all) to pieces in exams.Making people sad, shocked and upset If a relationship, organization, or system goes/falls to pieces, it fails: Their marriage began to fall to pieces after only a few months.Failing and doing badly
(Definition of go/fall to pieces from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

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