a coined variation of down on one's uppers, to be in a poor or penniless
condition; to have met with serious misfortune. Uppers refers to the parts of one's shoes above the soles. Down on one's uppers thus alludes to a person wearing shoes with only the upper part remaining because he has worn through the soles and does not have enough
money to replace the shoes. (
Flat means
broke, without
money.)