(one's) mission in life
The ultimate goal or purpose toward which one strives; one's reason or motivation to continue existing, operating, or working. Top-notch customer service is our mission in life, so if you are unsatisfied with your experience with us, we will refund 100% of your payment. Bruce's mission in life has been to serve justice to those who evade the law. A: "Why did Aunt Edna become a nun?" B: "Well, she felt that serving the poor was her mission in life."
a man/woman on a mission
A person who is fiercely determined to do or get what they want. Janet stormed into work like a woman on a mission, heading straight into her boss's office to demand a raise in her salary. When my boyfriend decides he wants to buy something, he turns into a man on a mission. I don't know why Dad is suddenly a man on a mission to clean out the garage, but I have no objections to it!
a man/woman with a mission
A person who is fiercely determined to do or get what they want. Janet stormed into work like a woman with a mission, heading straight into her boss's office to demand a raise in her salary. When my boyfriend decides he wants to buy something, he turns into a man with a mission. I don't know why Dad is suddenly a man on a mission to clean out the garage, but I have no objections to it!
be on a mission
1. To be in pursuit of some specific duty or ambition, especially that which is of particular importance, significance, or seriousness. The spies vanished from public life for months while on a mission to uncover who had bombed the state building. Our company is on a mission to help those less fortunate. That's why we've created a series of new volunteer programs in our local communities. We are on a mission to find out what really happened that day, so we can bring closure to the families of the dead.
2. To be fiercely determined to do or get what one wants. Oh, after I heard how much that slacker Jim makes, I was on a mission—I stormed straight into my boss's office and demanded a raise. When my boyfriend decides he wants to buy something, he's on a mission until he has it in his hands. I don't know why Dad is suddenly a man on a mission to clean out the garage, but I have no objections to it!
mission accomplished
A clichéd phrase said upon the successful completion of a project, task, assignment, milestone, etc. Well everyone, our app has reached 1 million downloads. Mission accomplished! If your goal was to annoy the heck out of all your friends, then mission accomplished.
mission creep
The gradual expansion or widening in scope of a project, action, or task, especially a military operation, beyond its initial goal or objective. Congress is wary of granting the president's request for military authority in the region, fearing a repeat of the mission creep that plagued his last war effort.
on a mission
1. In pursuit of some specific duty or ambition, especially that which is of particular importance, significance, or seriousness. The spies vanished from public life for months while she went on a mission to uncover who had bombed the state building. Our company is on a mission to help those less fortunate. That's why we've created a series of new volunteer programs in our local communities.
2. Fiercely determined to do or get what one wants. After I heard how much that slacker Jim makes, I was on a mission—I stormed straight into my boss's office and demanded a raise. When my boyfriend decides he wants to buy something, he turns into a man on a mission.
up to (one's) neck in alligators
business adage So overcome or preoccupied by various tangential worries, problems, or tasks that one loses sight of the ultimate goal or objective. The full expression is some variation of "When you are up to your neck in alligators, it's easy to forget that the goal was to drain the swamp." I've spent so much time dealing with various infrastructure problems for my new business that I've had no time to actually develop our product properly. I guess it's easy to forget that when up to your neck in alligators, the mission was to drain the swamp.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.