go for the gold
Pursue top prize
Go for the gold means to pursue the highest achievement or best possible outcome, from the gold medal awarded for first place in Olympic competition.
The phrase implies ambitious effort and full commitment: She decided to go for the gold and apply to Harvard.
Sometimes used ironically for minor victories.
- go for brokeRisk all resources
- go big or go homePhrase urging total effort
- winAchieve victory
- triumphResounding, celebrated victory
- victoryDefeating an opponent
all out effort · achieve · grit · personal best · tenacity · perseverance · challenge · succeed · determination · never give up · blood sweat and tears · target · competition · strive · goal · Olympic · athlete · medal
go for the goldsettle for less
phone it in · go through the motions · coast · play it safe · take the easy way out
go for the goldgive up
Stop attempting something
quit · throw in the towel · surrender · wave the white flag · give in
go for the goldfail
Be unsuccessful
lose · miss the mark · choke · bomb · crash and burn
gold, golden, goldfish, gilded, gilding, goldsmith, goldbrick, gold medal, goldsmithing