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Pan Out
Pan Out : Phrases
Meaning:
To come to fruition.
Example:
My lifelong dream of making my fortune by cornering the lint market just didn't pan out.
Origin:
Early prospectors panned for gold. They would swirl a mix of soil and water around the pan. Because Gold is very dense, with a little skill the pan could be swirled at just the right speed to allow the gold to settle to the bottom of the pan, while the dirt and low-density particles would wash over the side.
This would continue until there was nothing left but gravel - and maybe a little speck of gold if it panned out!
Related Phrase : Flash in the pan
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