Go for broke
Meaning
To risk everything in a desperate attempt to achieve a goal, accepting the possibility of complete failure or ruin.
Origin
“Go for broke” plunges us straight into the high-stakes world of gambling, where the ultimate gamble is to wager every last penny. The phrase captures the desperate moment when a player, having lost everything or nearly everything, decides to put their final chips on the table, betting their entire fortune in one last, audacious attempt to turn their luck around. To be “broke” means to be financially ruined, so to “go for broke” is to pursue a strategy that will either make you rich or leave you utterly destitute, often in a single, decisive move. This vivid imagery of absolute financial risk propelled the phrase into broader use in the 20th century, becoming a punchy idiom for any situation demanding total commitment and a willingness to face ruin for the sake of a major victory.
Examples
- With the company on the verge of collapse, the CEO decided to go for broke with one last radical marketing campaign.
- Facing a massive deficit in the final quarter, the team had no choice but to go for broke and attempt a series of risky plays.