the balloon goes upBritish EnglishBrE informal used to refer to the moment when a situation starts to become really bad 出现大麻烦,出乱子 We’ll have to get out of there before the balloon goes up. 我们得趁事情还没闹大的时候赶快脱身。
the balloon goes up• We don't want you being left behind in Mbarara if the balloon goes up.
→ the balloon goes up at balloon1(2)