spalić na panewce

Literally, “to burn on [the] flash pan”, from the fact that in old firearm designs, gunpowder would sometimes combust on the flash pan, causing the bullet not to be released.

• IPA^(key): /ˈspa.lit͡ɕ na‿paˈnɛf.t͡sɛ/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Syllabification: spa‧lić na‿pa‧new‧ce

spalić na panewce pf

1. (intransitive, idiomatic, literary) to die on the vine, to fizzle, to fizzle out, to go off half-cocked, to go up in flames, to go up in smoke

   Synonym: wziąć w łeb

• coś spaliło na panewce in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• spalić na panewce in Polish dictionaries at PWN