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swing for the fences

idiom
Meaning

To do something extremely ambitious, especially rashly.


Examples
SIMPLE

He decided to swing for the fences with his new business idea.

CONTEXTUAL

Instead of playing it safe with a small project, she chose to swing for the fences and apply for the most competitive grant.

COMPLEX

Rather than settling for a modest, incremental improvement, the director chose to swing for the fences, risking the entire budget on a revolutionary new technology.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    mend fences

    To repair damage to a friendship or relationship after a disagreement or other mishap.

  2. 02

    swing and a miss

    A sincere but unsuccessful attempt.

  3. 03

    swing back

    To return to a previous position.

  4. 04

    swing both ways

    To be bisexual.

  5. 05

    swing by

    To pay a brief, informal visit.

  6. 06

    swing of things

    The normal flow and rhythm of daily life or of activities in a specific field.

  7. 07

    swing round the circle

    To make a complete circuit.

  8. 08

    swing through

    To swing and miss at a pitch.

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