about one's ears
around one's ears
bring down about one's ears
bring down around one's ears
pull down about one's ears
pull down around one's ears
To or into complete collapse, defeat, or ruin; to the destruction of a person's plans, hopes, or happiness.
John hoped to go to college and become a great scientist some day, but when his father died he had to get a job, and John's dreams came crashing around his ears.
They planned to have factories all over the world but the war brought their plans down about their ears.
boot strap
by one's own bootstraps
drag oneself up by one's bootstraps
pull oneself up by the bootstraps
pull oneself up by one's own bootstraps
To succeed without help; succeed by your own efforts.
He had to pull himself up by the bootstraps.