From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishgo to the wallgo to the wallinformalFAIL if a company goes to the wall, it fails, especially because of financial difficulties Many small investors will go to the wall. → wall
Examples from the Corpus
go to the wall• Some farmers did go to the wall, but far fewer than predicted.• In the first six months of this year nearly 30,000 small firms went to the wall - a third up on 1991.• Small livestock farmers have gone to the wall in their thousands.• Over 300 small firms have gone to the wall in the past year.• Quickly he went to the wall safe at the far end of the room and touched the combination.• Those who could stand the pace flourished; those who could not went to the wall.• High interest rates will force many businesses to go to the wall.• It would be a tragic loss to theatre if such an important organisation were to go to the wall.• The trades unionist suspects that in competitive capitalism the weak go to the wall.• He's not a candidate that Democrats would go to the wall for. 