1 general:: Phrase(s): come to grief Fig. to experience something unpleasant or damaging. • In the end, he came to grief because he did not follow instructions.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs
2 general:: Meet with disaster or failure. For example, The icy runway caused at least one light plane to come to grief. [Mid-1800s]
American Heritage Idioms