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Synonyms

shoot the works

Idioms  

  1. Expend all one's efforts or capital, as in He's broke after shooting the works on that new office building. [Colloquial; first half of 1900s] Also see the works.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

You put your heart and soul into everything and shoot the works, because you got energy and strength and purpose.

From New York Times

The dish shows how good Ms. Blamey can be when she starts with underestimated ingredients like cabbages and onion and decides to shoot the works.

From New York Times

Gennady is trained and ready to shoot the works.”

From Los Angeles Times

I'm going to take a chance and shoot the works on someone who can talk.

From Project Gutenberg

President would have from satellites, radar and other means, he would decide to shoot the works.

From Time Magazine Archive

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.