hill to die on
An issue to pursue with a wholehearted conviction or a single-minded focus, with little or no regard to the cost and no intent of equivocation or compromise.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“This small argument is not a hill to die on.”
“Choosing the paint color for the kitchen is my hill to die on.”
“Is this tiny mistake really the hill to die on for you?”
“I disagree with the new policy, but it is not a hill to die on, so I will let it go.”
“She decided that fighting for a higher salary was her hill to die on because she had worked there for five years without a raise.”
“The manager told the team to pick their battles wisely, as a small font change on the website is rarely a hill to die on.”
“While he felt strongly about the project, he realized that challenging the director's minor preference was not a hill to die on.”
An allusion to the instances where a military doggedly pursues a goal or defends a position no matter the cost or (lack of) benefit, typically involving a hill (high ground). Examples include Battle of Hamburger Hill, Battle of Thermopylae, and Last Stand Hill.
- 01
cross my heart and hope to die
Added to a promise or a statement to show how serious one was about being honest in what one said
- 02
die a thousand deaths
To suffer repeatedly (often mentally rather than physically); to suffer extreme embarrassment or anxiety.
- 03
die down
To become less virulent or strong; to subside.
- 04
die hard
Of a living being, to die only after a desperate struggle for life.
- 05
die in harness
Of a person, to pass away before retirement.
- 06
die on one's arse
To fail completely.
- 07
die on the vine
To fail at an early stage or never come to fruition, typically due to neglect, infeasibility, or lack of resources.
- 08
die out
To become extinct.
Last updated August 10, 2026