go whole hog

1. To engage in something without reservation or constraint: “At first, the general had his doubts about the plan, but finally he decided to go whole hog.”

Idioms and Phrases

Also, go the limit . Do something completely or thoroughly; proceed as far as possible. For example, Instead of just painting the room, why not go whole hog and redecorate it completely? or Let's go the limit and dig up the entire garden . Although the precise source of whole hog is disputed, this colloquialism was first recorded in 1828 (in Japhet by Frederick Marryat) as go the whole hog . Today the article is usually omitted. Go the limit , also a colloquialism, dates from the mid-1900s. Also see all out .

Example Sentences

That was a military-style operation using an armed Border Patrol, but Trump seems enthusiastic to go whole hog and just use the military.

From Slate

“My chief concern now is that we don’t allow the studios to go whole hog and destroy this beautiful thing that we’ve got all of a sudden,” Cargill said.

From Los Angeles Times

With three young kids and soaring meat costs, Logan Wagoner decided it was time to go whole hog.

From Washington Post

As soon as Barrett joined the court, the calculus fundamentally shifted because there were five justices who clearly despised Roe, who no longer had to rely on chief justice John Roberts, and his somewhat more cautious and institutionalist, incrementalism and could go whole hog.

From Slate

“Now that we have such an accommodating stance from the agency, we can go whole hog,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• accomplish
• achieve
• close
• conclude
• determine
• develop
• do
• end
• execute
• finalize
• finish
• halt
• perform
• realize
• settle
• wrap up