to utterly wreck or ruin (one); overwhelm (one) in argument; destroy something such as a theory; attack vigorously with objections. The expression comes from the destruction of aircraft by enemy bullets, particularly in the case of WorldWar I combat pilots who wore no parachutes. There isn't such an area in the field of education, so therefore I think a proper textbook which just goes down the linerat-a-tat-tat and doesn't find any fault with anybody and doesn't shoot anybody down in flames, you know, but just goes right down the line and takes up the whole subject from the wordscat... -A Review of Study (22 Sept. 64)