# all duck or no dinner

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/all-duck-or-no-dinner
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

All or nothing.

## Examples

- He bets all his money on one game, all duck or no dinner.
- She decided to quit her job to start a business, choosing to go all duck or no dinner.
- The entrepreneur approached the high-stakes negotiation with an all duck or no dinner attitude, fully aware that failure would result in total ruin.

## Origin

Attested in Australian English c. 1895. The phrase records a binary approach to success, though its specific avian or culinary origins are not further detailed in the record.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.