A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

that’s the end of the ball game • that’s the end of
the line
that’s the end of the ball game —there is nothing one can do
any more about a situation: We had some lousy management
that blew away what little we had — that was the end of the
ball game. Cf.: be still in the ball game — be still active; be still
a part of the action: The governor is still in the ball game. He
can point to a number of successes, so he can be a creditable
campaigner.
that’s the end of the line —(also: that’s the end of the road) this
is the last point or stage: Most people just go to classified ads
and think that’s the end of the line in terms of looking for a
job.
Note:
Neither expression is equivalent in meaning to the phrase
that’s the end of it
— nothing more needs to be said or done
about a situation: If people were good enough to bring a gift,
then you just said “thanks” and that was the end of it.
that’s the way it goes • that’s the way to go
that’s the way it goes —that’s the way things happen: That’s
the way it goes in any kind of criminal conspiracy to hide the
truth. More and more people become involved, more and more
crimes are committed to hide an initial truth.
that’s the way to go —(also: way to go) is used as an encour-
agement to proceed with the chosen plan or process: Either
I’m going to think about it every day or I’m just going to try
to be positive about it and I think that’s the way to go.
that’s the way the cookie crumbles • that’s the way
the cow eats the cabbage
that’s the way the cookie crumbles —(also: that’s the way the
ball bounces) that’s the way things happen (used with the impli-
cation that there are some things that we cannot control and have
to accept): One can’t help but feel a certain amount of sadness
at the change in state of affairs, but I guess that’s the way the
cookie crumbles.
that’s the way the cow eats the cabbage —is used when telling
another person some harsh or unpleasant truth that he prob-
ably doesn’t want to hear: He is fully aware of my rules, one
blunder and he is off the boat. That’s the way the cow eats
the cabbage.