# paint the wagon

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/paint-the-wagon
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To get things done.

## Examples

- We need to paint the wagon and finish this project today.
- The deadline is tomorrow, so we really need to paint the wagon if we want to succeed.
- Despite the mounting pressure from the board of directors, the team managed to paint the wagon and deliver the final report well ahead of schedule.

## Origin

Modern business jargon derived from the title song of the 1951 Broadway musical Paint Your Wagon. The lyrics, including the lines "Gotta dream boy / Gotta song / Paint your wagon / And come along," provided the source for the expression.

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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.