going out on a limb
Risking it all
Going out on a limb means taking a risk by saying or doing something that might be wrong, unpopular, or unsupported by others.
The image is of climbing a tree branch that might break—vulnerable and exposed.
I'm going out on a limb here, but I think she's lying.
Often softened with hedging: I'll go out on a limb and predict they'll win.
- venturingTaking a risk
- daringAdventurous courage
- risk-takingAccepting possible harm
- bold moveAudacious action with risk
- fortitudeEnduring courage under pain
taking chances · bravery · fear · intrepid · risk · audacity · precariousness · pioneering · flying blind · reach · out there · stretch · leap · leap of faith · defenselessness · fragility · unproven · gamble
- Risk-Takingplaying with fire, rolling the dice, taking chances, living on the edge, high stakes
going out on a limbplaying it safe
Avoiding unnecessary risk
erring on the side of caution · keeping one's head down · going with the flow · hedging one's bets · keeping options open
going out on a limbhedging
Noncommittal maneuvering
hedging one's bets · sitting on the fence · equivocating · waffling · fence-sitting
going out on a limbstaying put
Remaining in place
hunkering down · lying low · biding one's time · holding back
going, goings, outing, outings, outermost, outward, outwardly, limb, limbs