go to the mat
To continue to struggle or fight until either victorious or defeated.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“She is ready to go to the mat for her beliefs.”
“The lawyer promised to go to the mat for his client during the difficult trial.”
“Despite the overwhelming pressure from the board of directors, the manager decided to go to the mat for his team's original proposal.”
Derived from the sport of wrestling, in which the mat serves as the padded floor of the ring. The phrase describes the physical act of being forced onto the ground during a match or, conversely, engaging in a struggle that continues until one participant is pinned.
- 01
all dressed up and nowhere to go
Elaborately attired or otherwise fully prepared for an anticipated situation or activity which, nevertheless, fails to occur.
- 02
all systems go
Everything is ready.
- 03
as you go
While one is doing (something); as one progresses.
- 04
boldly go where no man has gone before
To break new ground.
- 05
come and go
To repeatedly appear and disappear; to be transient.
- 06
don't go there
Do not broach that topic.
- 07
easy come, easy go
Easily won and easily lost (usually said when resigned to a loss; something that comes in the same way, goes in the same way)
- 08
enough to go around
There is an adequate amount or supply of something for all of the people present or involved.
Last updated August 10, 2026