go to town

1. Also, go to town on.

2. Do something efficiently and energetically. For example, She really went to town, not only developing and printing the film but making both mat and frame . [Early 1900s]

3. Act without restraint, overindulge, as in He went to town on the hors d'oeuvres, finishing nearly all of them . [Early 1900s]

4. Be successful, as in After months of hard work, their business is really going to town . [Mid-1900s]

Example Sentences

Democrats on the left would love for Republicans to do their dirty filibuster work for them and then go to town on the precedent.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“So, when you have a bunch of excess nitrogen, microbes go to town and they start using it for fuel. But some of it leaks out of their metabolism and it comes out as this air pollutant.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“The person who buys this, one night could crack open a couple beers and open up the case and then go to town on these 16 boxes,” Mr. Simonds said.

Read more on New York Times

“The Fed was very clear in their dot plot,” he said, “and I don’t know why the markets decided to double it and then go to town on that.”

Read more on New York Times

"I would definitely not go to town in drag for a little drink with my friends," he says.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• begin 
• carry out 
• develop 
• do 
• enforce 
• execute 
• function 
• move 
• operate 
• pursue 
• respond 
• serve 
• undertake