be dead in the water If something is dead in the water, it has failed and it seems impossible that it will be successful in the future. 沉沦，一蹶不振 Dead in the water意指没有前进的动力或机会。这是一个航海术语，最初指的是在无风的日子里一动不动的帆船，看起来像是死在了水里。 So how does a government revive an economy that is dead in the water? 《曼哈顿计划》 第二季第1集: There's a problem with Thin Man. We're dead in the water. So what are we gonna do about it? 瘦子计划出了问题。我们的方案根本不可能实现。那我们应该怎么做？