about one's ears

about one's ears or around one's ears {adv. phr.}

To or into complete collapse, defeat, or ruin; to the destruction of a person's plans, hopes, or happiness.

They planned to have factories all over the world but the war brought their plans down about their ears.

John hoped to go to college and become a great scientist some day, but when his father died he had to get a job, and John's dreams came crashing around his ears.

Compare: ON ONE'S HEAD.

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Source: A Dictionary of American Idioms

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ear

[ear] See: [ABOUT ONE'S EARS] or [AROUND ONE'S EARS], [BELIEVE ONE'S EARS], [DRY BEHIND THE EARS], [FLEA IN ONE'S EAR], [GIVE AN EAR TO] or [LEND AN EAR TO], [GO […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

dry behind the ears

[dry behind the ears] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Experienced; knowing how to do something. Usually used in the negative. * /John had just started working for the company, and was not […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

all ears

[all ears] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Very eager to hear; very attentive. - Used in the predicate. * /Go ahead with your story; we are all ears./ * /When John told […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

wet behind the ears

[wet behind the ears] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Not experienced; not knowing how to do something; new in a job or place. * /The new student is still wet behind the […] A Dictionary of American Idioms