on the rocks

From the allusion of a ship running aground against rocks and breaking apart. The poured over ice sense is due to ice's resemblance to rocks.

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on the rocks

1. Poured over ice, usually in reference to alcoholic drinks.

   Coordinate terms: neat, straight up

   I'll have a whisky on the rocks.

2. In a bad state; experiencing difficulties or at risk of failing.

   I knew my business was on the rocks, so I started considering going into voluntary bankruptcy.

   Joe and Tammy's relationship is on the rocks again.

   • 2022 May 21, Peter Bradshaw, “Triangle of Sadness review – heavy-handed satire on the super-rich loses its shape”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

     Everything of interest happens in the first ten minutes. A male model called Carl (Harris Dickinson) senses after a calamitous audition that his career is already on the rocks, all washed up.

• schooner on the rocks

• Stonhocker