give one's all
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Forms: form: gives one's all
form: giving one's all
form: gave one's all
form: given one's all
Senses: examples: text: Near-synonym: give it one's best shot
text: "I'd go myself, if I was any use. As I ain't, I give my boys, and give 'em free." He spoke so cheerfully, looked so sincere, and seemed so glad to give his all, that I was ashamed of myself.
ref: 1868, Louisa May Alcott, chapter 4, in Little Women:
text: And it is well; her act being proportioned to the dignity of one who carries in her head and heart riches which outvalue any that any King could add, though he gave his all.
ref: 1896, Mark Twain, chapter 35, in Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc:
text: After swearing to support God and the Constitution, to give his all in any "war" against Catholics, Jews, Negroes, aliens and Communists, he paid $7 for a robe, 10¢ monthly dues, bought himself a gun, became a member in good standing.
ref: 1936 June 1, “Crime: Black Legion”, in Time:
text: [S]he was unique in not requiring rehearsals because she "gave her all the first time she tried a scene."
ref: 1990 January 22, Peter B. Flint, “Barbara Stanwyck, Actress, Dead at 82”, in New York Times, retrieved 17 Jun 2011:
synonyms: go all out
;
give 110%
pull out all the stops
do one's utmost
leave it all on the field
empty the tank
glosses: To make the utmost effort; to contribute, using all of one's abilities and resources.
examples: text: The Cemeterial Division . . . has taken up the huge task of establishing contact with the mothers or widows of the 30,000 American soldiers who gave their all and whose bodies rest in graves across the sea.
ref: 1929 April 10, “Plans for War Mothers Pilgrimage Started”, in Rochester Evening Journal and the Post Express, retrieved 18 Jun 2011, page 26:
text: Police officers expressed shock at the news of their fellow officer's death. "He gave his all; he literally gave his all," said Officer Edward Looney.
ref: 2005 August 4, Kareem Fahim, “Sniper Kills New York Police Officer in Iraq”, in New York Times, retrieved 17 Jun 2011:
synonyms: word: assume room temperature
word: auger in
word: be called home
word: be gathered to one's fathers
word: be no more
word: be with Jesus
word: be with the Lord
word: bite the big one
word: bite the biscuit
word: bite the dust
word: buy the farm
word: buy it
word: cark it
word: cash in
word: cash in one's chips
word: check out
word: close one's eyes for the last time
word: code
word: conk out
word: croak
word: cross over
word: cross rainbow bridge
word: cross the Great Divide
word: cross the Styx
word: decease
word: decompose
word: dematerialize
word: depart
word: disincarnate
word: draw one's last breath
word: drop off the hooks
word: exit
word: expire
word: flatline
word: forfare
word: get to be like the one
word: give one's all
word: give up the ghost
word: go for a burton
word: go gentle into that good night
word: go out
word: go over to the majority
word: go the way of all flesh
word: go the way of the dinosaurs
word: go the way of the dodo
word: go the way of the dodo bird
word: go to glory
word: go to one's reward
word: go west
word: hand in one's checks
word: hand in one's dinner pail
word: hop the twig
word: join the choir invisible
word: keel over
word: kick the bucket
word: kick off
word: knock off
word: liquidate
word: lose my life for Jesus Christ
word: lose the number of one's mess
word: meet one's doom
word: meet one's end
word: meet one's maker
word: pass
word: pass away
word: pass in one's checks
word: pass in one's marble
word: pass on
word: pass over
word: pass the river
word: pay nature's debt
word: pay the debt of nature
word: peg out
word: perish
word: pop off
word: pop one's clogs
word: shuffle off this mortal coil
word: sink
word: sleep with one's fathers
word: slip away
word: snuff it
word: succumb
word: take a dirt nap
word: turn up one's toes
word: yield up the ghost
glosses: To lose one's life while making the utmost effort with full commitment.
Related terms: all in
all out