go down the plug hole

[ostap77]

A word "plughole" BE, at least that's what a dictionary says. So if I said "two years of hard work went down the plughole", would be typical of BE. Is it used in AmE?

 

[SoothingDave]

"Down the drain" we would say in AmE.

 

[birdeen's call]

It made me think of this song. Sorry for being a little off-topic...

 

[BobK]

"Down the drain" we would say in AmE.

I think we'd use 'drain' here as well, in the context given in the OP - 'N years down the drain'. Plug, in Br Eng, figures in the expression 'pull the plug on' - which means 'withdraw support' - 'after 5 years of slow and patchy progress, he simply gave up and pulled the plug on the project'.

'Down the plughole' only - for me - recalls the Music Hall song

Your baby 'as gawn dahn the plug'ole,
Your baby 'as gawn dahn the plug.
The poor li'l thing Was so skinny and thin
'E should've been washed in a jug
​

b

 

[e2e4]

It made me think of this song. Sorry for being a little off-topic...

When I was very young I used to listen to their music from time to time.
I still recognise the colour of their not so complicated sound played by a lead and buss guitar escorted by drums.

 

[BobK]

It made me think of this song. Sorry for being a little off-topic...

That's the one. But I believe Cream were singing a song that had its root in Edwardian Music Hall (if not dating from before that). ;-)

b

 

[e2e4]

That's the one. But I believe Cream were singing a song that had its root in Edwardian Music Hall (if not dating from before that). ;-)

b

Before the Ms.Gabrielle Ray time?:roll:

 

[BobK]

She was about the right time: Music hall songs - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Gabrielle Ray - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ).

b