no holds barred

Idioms  

1. Without any restrictions, as in Telephone companies are entering the market for Internet users with no holds barred. This expression comes from wrestling, where certain holds are illegal, or barred, and has been used figuratively since about 1940.

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Example Sentences

Minister for Veterans and People, Louise Sandher-Jones, said the survey results were "wholly unacceptable", describing it as a "no holds barred baseline, to fully confront and address the root causes of this issue".

From BBC

So yes, there’s some composites being made where I take seven people whom I had a similar pattern repeat, and I just lop them all into one song as one person and unify the communication; there’s no holds barred.

From Los Angeles Times

Part of why I love that it’s Vegas is that there’s this ceilinglessness in terms of no holds barred again, like I want to wear a boa.

From Los Angeles Times

"This is a no holds barred conversation. You can say anything you want and I want to know what you really think about this issue," she said.

From BBC

Writer and creator Knight promised the film would leave "no holds barred".

From BBC

Related Words

• angrily
• boldly
• brutally
• ferociously
• forcefully
• frantically
• furiously
• madly
• mightily
• passionately
• savagely
• severely
• vehemently
• viciously
• wildly