Apedia

Broke Hard Applying Colleges Applied Choice Risk Big

Idiom Go for Broke
Example Instead of applying to several colleges, he went for broke and applied only to his first choice.
Meaning to risk everything on one big goal or effort; to try as hard as possible
Origin Since the 17th century "broke" has meant "without money." Two hundred years later, this idiom was created at the gambling tables. When a gambler "went for broke," he risked all his money at once in a wager. If he won, he was rich. If he lost, he was broke. Today, people who "go for broke" try as hard as possible to achieve a single goal.

Learn with these flashcards. Click next, previous, or up to navigate to more flashcards for this subject.

Next card: Balloon lead miserably i asked antarctica vacation idea

Previous card: Fly kite asked told leave stop bothering imagine

Up to card list: Scholastic Dictionary of Idioms