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to the hilt

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(up) to the hilt

1. if you do something to the hilt, you do it in the strongest and most complete way that you can. All through the trial, he has backed his wife up to the hilt. They took the new aircraft and tested it to the hilt.

2. if you borrow to the hilt, you borrow as much money as you can, often so much that it is difficult to pay it back. We can't raise any more money - we're mortgaged up to the hilt as it is. With the government borrowing up to the hilt we can expect tax rises.

to the hilt

as much as possible. We're already being taxed to the hilt.

Etymology: based on the idea of pushing a sword into something to the hilt (= as far as its handle)

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? References in classic literature
He kept rushing the matador, who always slipped smartly and gracefully aside in time, waiting for a sure chance; and at last it came; the bull made a deadly plunge for him - was avoided neatly, and as he sped by, the long sword glided silently into him, between left shoulder and spine - in and in, to the hilt. A Horse's Tale by Twain, Mark View in context If you'll stop to lunch I'll prove you this time travelling up to the hilt, specimen and all. The Time Machine by Wells, H.G. View in context But the boy had learned in that brief second a use for his sharp and shining toy, so that, as the tearing, striking beast dragged him to earth he plunged the blade repeatedly and to the hilt into its breast. Tarzan of the Apes by Burroughs, Edgar Rice View in context More results

References in classic literature

He kept rushing the matador, who always slipped smartly and gracefully aside in time, waiting for a sure chance; and at last it came; the bull made a deadly plunge for him - was avoided neatly, and as he sped by, the long sword glided silently into him, between left shoulder and spine - in and in, to the hilt.

A Horse's Tale by Twain, Mark View in context

If you'll stop to lunch I'll prove you this time travelling up to the hilt, specimen and all.

The Time Machine by Wells, H.G. View in context

But the boy had learned in that brief second a use for his sharp and shining toy, so that, as the tearing, striking beast dragged him to earth he plunged the blade repeatedly and to the hilt into its breast.

Tarzan of the Apes by Burroughs, Edgar Rice View in context

More results

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to the bitter end
to the bone
to the contrary
to the core
to the fore
to the four winds
to the gunwales

to the hilt
to the letter
to the manner born
to the max
to the nth degree
to the point
to the tune of
to top it all

To the Faithful Departed (Cranberries album)

To the Finland Station

to the fore

to the four winds

to the full

To the Goddess Electricity

To the hell with the goddamn spring

to the highest degree

To the Hills with Thee, Angharrad

to the hilt

To the Knife

To the last

To the Last Man

To the Last Man (1923 film)

To the Last Man (1933 film)

To the Last Man (disambiguation)

To the Last Man (film)

To the Last Man (Zane Grey)

To the left

To the Left of the Father

to the letter

To the life

To the Lighthouse

To the Lighthouse (film)

to the limit

To The Limit - To The Top

to the lowest degree

to the manner born

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