go over like a hair in a biscuit
Land badly. Nobody wanted that news.
Also called go over like a hair on a biscuit.
Updated September 21, 2026
go over like a hair in a biscuit pronunciation
/go OH-ver like uh HAIR in uh BIS-kit/
Meaning
Said when an idea, joke, or announcement flops hard. Finding a hair in a biscuit ruins the bite, so the picture is disgust without needing a textbook. Southern kitchen simile for a reception colder than leftover gravy. Don't mix it up with "hanging in there like a hair in a biscuit," which means barely holding on.
How folks use it
- “That suggestion about selling Grandma's china went over like a hair in a biscuit.”
- “His joke at the funeral supper went over like a hair in a biscuit.”
Origin and etymology
Rural Southern and Appalachian kitchen talk. Exact first printing is hard to pin; it rides mid-1900s oral humor. Builds on the same flop energy as "went over like a lead balloon," but swaps in biscuits because that is what was on the table.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same as hanging in there like a hair in a biscuit?
No. Going over like a hair means it was poorly received. Hanging in there like a hair means you are barely hanging on.