English

Verb

go hard or go home

1. (idiomatic, usually sports) To face a challenge by making a bold, superior effort, lest one gives up and forgoes the opportunity.
   • 2009 Sept. 10, Larry Dorman, "Golf: Players Competing With a Sense of Urgency," New York Times (retrieved 17 Nov 2015):

     "Probably top five I would have to do, I’m guessing, to get into the Tour Championship. So it’s either that or a couple weeks off. Go hard or go home."

   • 2013 Aug. 19, Catriona Menzies-Pike, "Does being a fitness fanatic make you a good politician?," Guardian (UK) (retrieved 17 Nov 2015):

     He strikes me as more of a go hard or go home athlete, an impression reinforced by reports of aggressive and competitive behaviour.

   • 2014 Oct. 3, Jordan Heath-Rawlings, "Unlikely Predictions: Eastern Conference," sportsnet.ca (Canada) (retrieved 17 Nov 2015):

     Those kind of predictions are for the weak. We believe in going hard or going home. So these are real predictions—not probabilities.

   • 2015 January, Edward Jones, "Fundraising efforts had us bouncing off the wall", The University Paper: Newcastle Edition (UK), p. 39 (retrieved 17 Nov 2015):

     Members of the Newcastle University trampolining team went hard or went home when they took part in a 24-hour sponsored bounceathon.

Usage notes

• Sometimes used in the imperative mood as a proverb.

Synonyms

• do or die
• fish or cut bait
• put up or shut up
• rise to the occasion