butter side down

The phrase "butter side down" typically refers to a comical or unfortunate situation where something falls or lands in an unfavorable or undesirable position. It often implies a sense of bad luck or Murphy's Law, where things tend to go wrong. The expression originated from the idea that when dropping a slice of bread, it is more likely to land with the buttered side facing downwards, causing a mess. Thus, it is sometimes used metaphorically to describe a situation where things don't go as planned.