A brilliantly vivid New Zealand idiom meaning to go completely wrong, fall apart, or descend into chaos. When a plan, situation, or event turns to custard, it's not a minor hiccup — it's full collapse into a wobbly, formless mess, which is exactly what custard does when you don't follow the recipe. The phrase captures that particular combination of disappointment and absurdity that comes with spectacular failure. Widely used across New Zealand in casual and professional contexts alike.
The event was going fine until the sound system broke and the whole thing turned to custard.
No comments yet — say something.
(New Zealand) To go badly awry.
No comments yet — say something.
Add your own interpretation of "turn to custard".
Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.