| Idiom | Burn Your Bridges Behind You |
|---|---|
| Example | If you drop out of school now, you'll be burning your bridges behind you. |
| Meaning | to make a decision you cannot change; to commit oneself to a course of action |
| Origin | In ancient military history, soldiers actually burned down the bridge they had just crossed so they wouldn't be tempted to turn back in a cowardly way. (It also kept the enemy from following them over the same bridge.) Julius Caesar burned bridges to toughen up his troops. |
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