고배를 마셔요 · 고배를 마셨어요 · 고배를 마신 + noun
to suffer defeat; to taste bitter failure
Example
우리 팀은 결승전에서 또 고배를 마셨습니다.
Our team suffered another bitter defeat in the final.
Word parts
고 bitter+배 cup
Literally 'to drink from a bitter cup.'
Good to know
Formal and news-like; in casual speech people just say 졌어요 or 떨어졌어요.