Question of the Day #606

From a creative standpoint, fans deserve closure, but the show was circling the drain with meandering plots in those final seasons.

From the 3rd from the last paragraph of this article at TV Fanatic.

上記の文で、circling the drainの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "circling the drain" mean?

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Write your answer in the Comments.

明日、ここに答えを書きます。
I will add the answer and other remarks here tomorrow.

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解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

〈米俗〉〔患者の〕死期が近い、〔患者が〕余命幾ばくもない

ただし、人間だけてはなく、このイディオムは問題文のようにさまざま物を対象とします。と言うか、その他のものの方が多いです。

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

To be in a state of severe deterioration such that one is approaching inevitable ruin, failure, or death. Usually used in the continuous form.

Examples

• Get Mrs. Smith’s son on the phone. She’s circling the drain.
• The restaurant where I work is circling the drain. I think I'll be out of a job soon.
• He was already circling the drain when the decision was made to take him off life support.
• The company's closure was inevitable, as it has been circling the drain for the last six months.
• Her political career began to circle the drain after news of her affair came to public light.

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