Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

heads-will-roll

idiom

/hɛdz wɪl roʊl/

Definition

A phrase indicating that someone will be held accountable or punished for a failure or mistake.

Examples

If the project fails again, heads will roll in the management team.
After the serious error in the report, it was clear that heads would roll.
When the company’s profits dropped, the CEO warned that heads would roll if things didn’t improve.

Meaning

This expression suggests that serious consequences, such as job loss or disciplinary action, will occur as a result of a particular situation or decision that has gone wrong.