go to the mattresses
To go to war; to use ruthless tactics; to act without restraint.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“They are going to the mattresses to win this argument.”
“The rival companies are going to the mattresses, cutting prices until one of them goes out of business.”
“Realizing that compromise was no longer an option, the board members went to the mattresses to protect their control of the corporation.”
first recorded 20th c. disputed origin
From Mario Puzo's gangster novel The Godfather (1969). Those involved in such a conflict might be expected to stay in hideouts where they would sleep on mattresses rather than in beds.
- 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