# fire on all cylinders

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/fire-on-all-cylinders
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To operate as effectively as possible.

## Examples

- The team is firing on all cylinders today.
- Your new marketing plan is firing on all cylinders.
- After a slow start to the season, the players are finally firing on all cylinders and winning every game.
- My brain is finally firing on all cylinders now that I have finished my second cup of coffee and started my morning tasks.
- With the new management team in place and the supply chain fully restored, the company is once again firing on all cylinders.

## Origin

The expression originates in the mechanics of the internal combustion engine, describing a state in which each cylinder contributes its spark and stroke to the machine’s output. When an engine fires on all cylinders, it achieves its maximum intended power; when it does not, the resulting imbalance is merely a mechanical failure. The phrase transitioned from technical description to a general metaphor for peak efficiency, though the date of this shift and the individuals responsible for its popularisation remain unrecorded.

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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.