swung for the fences
Went all out
Swung for the fences means attempted something bold or ambitious, risking failure for a big payoff.
From baseball, where swinging for the fences means trying to hit a home run rather than settling for a base hit.
The past tense suggests the attempt has already happened: He swung for the fences with that proposal, but the board rejected it.
See also swing for the fences.
- home runFull-circuit scoring hit
- strikeoutBatter retired on pitches
- swing and a missFailed batting attempt
- boldnessFearless readiness to act
- achievementAccomplished goal or deed
out of the park · triumph · gamble · high risk high reward · long shot · daring · victory · glory · moonshot · courage · setback · batter · breakthrough · audacity · pitch · all-or-nothing · go for broke · bet the farm
swung for the fencesplayed it safe
Acted to minimize risk
erred on the side of caution · hedged one's bets · colored inside the lines
swung for the fenceslowered one's sights
Accepted a lesser goal
mailed it in · coasted · punted · took it easy · held back
swung for the fencesbunted
Hit softly, deliberately
chipped away · nickeled and dimed · death by a thousand cuts · slow and steady
swung, swings, swinging, swinger, swingers, fence, fences, fenced, fencing