damp squib

1.
British EnglishCommonwealth Englishinformalcolloquial
- A disappointing, ineffective, or anticlimactic event or outcome that fails to meet expectations.
- Something that proves to be a failure or a non-event, especially after much anticipation.
2.
General Englishliteralhistorical
- Originally, a firework (squib) rendered useless by moisture; used literally to describe a pyrotechnic that will not ignite.

Examples:

No examples available.