putting the hammer down
Going full throttle
Putting the hammer down means accelerating forcefully or committing fully to an action with maximum effort.
The phrase comes from driving—pressing the gas pedal to the floor: We were running late so I put the hammer down.
It extends to any situation demanding urgent, decisive action: The team put the hammer down in the fourth quarter.
- decisivenessAbility to choose firmly
- velocityDirected rate of motion
- throttlingRestricting flow or speed
- resolveFirmness of purpose
- no holds barredWithout rules or limits
going all out · momentum · perseverance · balls to the wall · going hard · grit · haste · execution · follow-through · full throttle · drive · sprinting · revving · commitment · propulsion · turbocharging · full steam ahead · ratcheting
putting the hammer downslamming on the brakes
Applying maximum stopping force suddenly
braking · slowing down · decelerating · coasting · pulling over
putting the hammer downcoasting
Moving without active effort
phoning it in · taking it easy · slacking off · going through the motions · letting up
putting the hammer downtaking one's time
cooling one's jets · backing down · holding back · relenting · biding one's time