At all costs If you are determined to obtain or achieve something at all
costs, you want it regardless of the expense, effort or sacrifice
involved.
"The journalist was determined at all costs to get a report from
the war zone."
Beard the lion in his den If you visit someone important in the place where they work,
because you are determined to challenge him/her or obtain
something, you beard the lion in his den.
Have a bee in one's bonnet A person who has a bee in their bonnet has an idea
which constantly occupies their thoughts.
"She's got a bee in her bonnet about moving to New York."
Beyond one's wildest dreams If something is beyond your wildest dreams, it is better
than you imagined or hoped for.
"The research team received a grant from the government
that was beyond their wildest dreams."
Blood, sweat and tears A project or action which involves blood, sweat and tears
requires a lot of effort and hard work.
"His success wasn't due to luck; it was blood, sweat and
tears all the way."
Have something on the brain If you have something on the brain, you think or talk
about it constantly.
"Stop talking about golf. You've got golf on the brain!"
Buckle down If you buckle down, you apply yourself with determination to
hard work and give it your full attention.
"If you want to pass your exams, you'll have buckle down and
do some serious work."
Dig in your heels If you dig in your heels, you refuse to do something,
especially if someone is trying to convince you to do so.
"My grandfather dug in his heels and refused to move to an
apartment."
An eager beaver The term eager beaver refers to a person who is hard-
working and enthusiastic, sometimes considered overzealous.
"The new accountant works all the time - first to arrive and
last to leave - a real eager beaver!"
Explore all avenues If you explore all avenues, you try out every possibility in
order to obtain a result or find a solution.
"We can't say it's impossible until we've explored all
avenues."
Fight tooth and nail If you fight tooth and nail for something, you fight with all
your energy.
"The Transport Minister fought tooth and nail to have to have
the proposed road safety law accepted."
Fly by the seat of your pants If you fly by the seat of your pants, you do something
without knowledge or experience, using only your instinct and
hoping that you will succeed.
"Without any formal training, he decided to fly by the seat of
his pants and try his luck in New York."
Go the extra mile If you go the extra mile, you do more than what is expected
of you.
"You can count on Tom; he's always willing to go the extra
mile."
Go to great lengths When trying to achieve something, if you go to great lengths,
you do everything that is possible in order to succeed.
"The two parties went to great lengths to reach an agreement."
Going places To say that someone is going places means that they show
talent and ability that will no doubt lead to a successful future.
"Even at college it was obvious that Paul was going places."
Go into overdrive If someone or something goes into overdrive, they begin to
work very hard or start to perform intensely. "At the start of every new collection, my imagination goes into
overdrive."
Keep your nose to the
grindstone A person who keeps their nose to the grindstone is
someone who concentrates on working hard at his job.
Hang in there This expression is used to encourage someone to persevere
and not give up in spite of the difficult circumstances.
"I know the atmosphere is very tense, but just hang in
there and eventually things will calm down."
Have one's heart set on
something Someone who has their heart set on something wants it
very much.
"From an early age Tiger had his heart set on becoming a
professional golfer."
Hell-bent on something If you are hell-bent on doing something, you are recklessly
determined to do it, even if it's dangerous or stupid.
"Although he is still weak, he's hell-bent on playing the match."
Hitch one's wagon to a star Someone who hitches their wagon to a star has great
ambitions and is very determined to reach their goal.
"At an early age she decided to hitch her wagon to a star
and become rich and famous."
Kill two birds with one stone If you kill two birds with one stone, you succeed in doing
two things at the same time.
"By studying on the train on the way home every week-end,
Claire kills two birds with one stone."
A long row to hoe This expression refers to a difficult task, assignment or
undertaking that will take a long time.
"Getting through medical school is going to be a long row
to hoe."
Make hay while the sun shines This expression is used as an encouragement to take
advantage of a good situation which may not last.
"Successful sportsmen are advised to make hay while
the sun shines."
Make headway If you make headway, you make progress in what you
are trying to achieve.
"Investigators have made little headway in their search for
the causes of the catastrophe."
Mean business If someone means business, they are serious about what
they announce.
"The boss says that in future any missing material will be
reported to the police, and he looks as though he means
business."
Paddle your own canoe If you paddle your own canoe, you do what you want to
do without help or interference from anyone.
"He decided to paddle his own canoe and set up his own
company."
Pester power This expression refers to the power children exert over their
parents by continually nagging or pestering them until they
accept to buy advertised toys or fashionable products.
"Pester power leads busy parents to buy more and more
for their children."
Pull out all the stops If you pull out all the stops, you do everything you can to
make something successful.
"We'll have to pull out all the stops to get the store ready
for the opening day."
Punch above one's weight If you punch above your weight, you try to perform at a level
that is considered to be beyond your ability.
"She submitted her idea for the 'invention of the year' award,
knowing that she was punching above her weight."
Reach for the moon If you reach for the moon, you are very ambitious and try
to achieve something even if it's difficult.
Raise/lower your sights If you raise or lower your sights, you raise or lower your
expectations, or you are more or less ambitious..
"He had to lower his sights and accept a less well-paid job
than what he had hoped for."
Sink one's teeth into something If you sink your teeth into something, you do it with a lot
of energy and enthusiasm.
"When Julie got promoted, she immediately sank her teeth
into her new job."
Stand on your own two feet If you stand on your own two feet, you are independent
and need no help from anyone.
"When young people leave home, they learn to stand on
their own two feet."
Stand one's ground If you stand your ground, you maintain your position and
refuse to yield or give way.
"He claimed innocence and stood his ground in spite of the
repeated accusations."
Stick to one's guns If you stick to your guns, you show determination when
faced with opposition.
"The government stuck to its guns in spite of the criticism."
The sky's the limit To say "the sky's the limit" means that there is no limit
to the possibility of success or progress for someone or
something.
"How successful do you think the project will be?
Who knows... the sky's the limit!"
Waiting in the wings If someone is waiting in the wings, they are waiting for an
opportunity to take action, especially to replace someone
else in their job or position.
"There are many young actors waiting in the wings, ready
to show their talent."
costs, you want it regardless of the expense, effort or sacrifice
involved.
"The journalist was determined at all costs to get a report from
the war zone."
Beard the lion in his den If you visit someone important in the place where they work,
because you are determined to challenge him/her or obtain
something, you beard the lion in his den.
Have a bee in one's bonnet A person who has a bee in their bonnet has an idea
which constantly occupies their thoughts.
"She's got a bee in her bonnet about moving to New York."
Beyond one's wildest dreams If something is beyond your wildest dreams, it is better
than you imagined or hoped for.
"The research team received a grant from the government
that was beyond their wildest dreams."
Blood, sweat and tears A project or action which involves blood, sweat and tears
requires a lot of effort and hard work.
"His success wasn't due to luck; it was blood, sweat and
tears all the way."
Have something on the brain If you have something on the brain, you think or talk
about it constantly.
"Stop talking about golf. You've got golf on the brain!"
Buckle down If you buckle down, you apply yourself with determination to
hard work and give it your full attention.
"If you want to pass your exams, you'll have buckle down and
do some serious work."
Dig in your heels If you dig in your heels, you refuse to do something,
especially if someone is trying to convince you to do so.
"My grandfather dug in his heels and refused to move to an
apartment."
An eager beaver The term eager beaver refers to a person who is hard-
working and enthusiastic, sometimes considered overzealous.
"The new accountant works all the time - first to arrive and
last to leave - a real eager beaver!"
Explore all avenues If you explore all avenues, you try out every possibility in
order to obtain a result or find a solution.
"We can't say it's impossible until we've explored all
avenues."
Fight tooth and nail If you fight tooth and nail for something, you fight with all
your energy.
"The Transport Minister fought tooth and nail to have to have
the proposed road safety law accepted."
Fly by the seat of your pants If you fly by the seat of your pants, you do something
without knowledge or experience, using only your instinct and
hoping that you will succeed.
"Without any formal training, he decided to fly by the seat of
his pants and try his luck in New York."
Go the extra mile If you go the extra mile, you do more than what is expected
of you.
"You can count on Tom; he's always willing to go the extra
mile."
Go to great lengths When trying to achieve something, if you go to great lengths,
you do everything that is possible in order to succeed.
"The two parties went to great lengths to reach an agreement."
Going places To say that someone is going places means that they show
talent and ability that will no doubt lead to a successful future.
"Even at college it was obvious that Paul was going places."
Go into overdrive If someone or something goes into overdrive, they begin to
work very hard or start to perform intensely. "At the start of every new collection, my imagination goes into
overdrive."
Keep your nose to the
grindstone A person who keeps their nose to the grindstone is
someone who concentrates on working hard at his job.
Hang in there This expression is used to encourage someone to persevere
and not give up in spite of the difficult circumstances.
"I know the atmosphere is very tense, but just hang in
there and eventually things will calm down."
Have one's heart set on
something Someone who has their heart set on something wants it
very much.
"From an early age Tiger had his heart set on becoming a
professional golfer."
Hell-bent on something If you are hell-bent on doing something, you are recklessly
determined to do it, even if it's dangerous or stupid.
"Although he is still weak, he's hell-bent on playing the match."
Hitch one's wagon to a star Someone who hitches their wagon to a star has great
ambitions and is very determined to reach their goal.
"At an early age she decided to hitch her wagon to a star
and become rich and famous."
Kill two birds with one stone If you kill two birds with one stone, you succeed in doing
two things at the same time.
"By studying on the train on the way home every week-end,
Claire kills two birds with one stone."
A long row to hoe This expression refers to a difficult task, assignment or
undertaking that will take a long time.
"Getting through medical school is going to be a long row
to hoe."
Make hay while the sun shines This expression is used as an encouragement to take
advantage of a good situation which may not last.
"Successful sportsmen are advised to make hay while
the sun shines."
Make headway If you make headway, you make progress in what you
are trying to achieve.
"Investigators have made little headway in their search for
the causes of the catastrophe."
Mean business If someone means business, they are serious about what
they announce.
"The boss says that in future any missing material will be
reported to the police, and he looks as though he means
business."
Paddle your own canoe If you paddle your own canoe, you do what you want to
do without help or interference from anyone.
"He decided to paddle his own canoe and set up his own
company."
Pester power This expression refers to the power children exert over their
parents by continually nagging or pestering them until they
accept to buy advertised toys or fashionable products.
"Pester power leads busy parents to buy more and more
for their children."
Pull out all the stops If you pull out all the stops, you do everything you can to
make something successful.
"We'll have to pull out all the stops to get the store ready
for the opening day."
Punch above one's weight If you punch above your weight, you try to perform at a level
that is considered to be beyond your ability.
"She submitted her idea for the 'invention of the year' award,
knowing that she was punching above her weight."
Reach for the moon If you reach for the moon, you are very ambitious and try
to achieve something even if it's difficult.
Raise/lower your sights If you raise or lower your sights, you raise or lower your
expectations, or you are more or less ambitious..
"He had to lower his sights and accept a less well-paid job
than what he had hoped for."
Sink one's teeth into something If you sink your teeth into something, you do it with a lot
of energy and enthusiasm.
"When Julie got promoted, she immediately sank her teeth
into her new job."
Stand on your own two feet If you stand on your own two feet, you are independent
and need no help from anyone.
"When young people leave home, they learn to stand on
their own two feet."
Stand one's ground If you stand your ground, you maintain your position and
refuse to yield or give way.
"He claimed innocence and stood his ground in spite of the
repeated accusations."
Stick to one's guns If you stick to your guns, you show determination when
faced with opposition.
"The government stuck to its guns in spite of the criticism."
The sky's the limit To say "the sky's the limit" means that there is no limit
to the possibility of success or progress for someone or
something.
"How successful do you think the project will be?
Who knows... the sky's the limit!"
Waiting in the wings If someone is waiting in the wings, they are waiting for an
opportunity to take action, especially to replace someone
else in their job or position.
"There are many young actors waiting in the wings, ready
to show their talent."
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