go up in smoke
if a plan or some work goes up in smoke, it is spoiled or wasted

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

go up in smoke
if a plan or some work goes up in smoke, it is spoiled or wasted.
Then his business went bankrupt and 20 years of hard work went up in smoke.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

go up in smoke
• go up in flames/smoke
to burn or be destroyed by fire, to fail, to not come true (dreams)
The waiter's plans to open a new restaurant went up in smoke after he lost his job.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

go up in smoke
v. phr. To burn; be destroyed by fire.
1.
The house went up in flames.
The barn full of hay went up in smoke.
2. Disappear; fail; not come true.
Jane's hopes of going to college went up in smoke when her father lost his job.
The team's chances to win went up in smoke when their captain was hurt.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲