It Didn’t Pan Out

Have you ever had plans that didn’t work out the way you wanted?  In English, we sometimes say that things just didn’t pan out.  It just means that it was an unexpected or unfavorable outcome.

Example:  I tried to get a job at Samsung, but it didn’t pan out. 

The idea with this phrase is that you had a plan that didn’t work out.  You could also use pan out to talk about something that worked out well, or just the outcome.

Example:  I wasn’t expecting to be a mother, but I like how things are panning out.

Pan out comes from the search for gold.  Prospectors would go to rivers in search of gold.  One of their main tools was a pan.  Since gold is heavier than the dirt and stones around them, the gold falls to the bottom.  So, moving the material around in water will cause the heavy items to go to the bottom.  Then, you can let the lighter material fall out.  After a while, you are left with the gold.
Lately I have rediscovered Dan Hurd Prospecting, a YouTube channel.  If you want to see someone using panning for gold, I recommend his channel.  He seems like such a nice person.  Also, if anyone wants to buy me a gift, I would love some of his BC Ocean Picture stones.  They are a type of rock that looks like the ocean shore.

For more English phrases and quotes, follow me on Facebook:
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Dan Hurd Prospecting
https://danhurdprospecting.com/product-category/ocean-picture-stone/
https://www.youtube.com/user/Galidain