damn the torpedoes

English

Etymology

From "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!", a famous order issued by Admiral David Farragut during the Battle of Mobile Bay, a paraphrase of the actual order, "Damn the torpedoes! Four bells. Captain Drayton, go ahead! Jouett, full speed!".

Pronunciation

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Verb

damn the torpedoes (third-person singular simple present damns the torpedoes, present participle damning the torpedoes, simple past and past participle damned the torpedoes)

1. (idiomatic, chiefly imperative) Used to dismiss the risks of a dangerous action.
   • 1991 January 27, “Did Hollywood Sit on 'Fences'?”, in New York Times:

     There's too much attention paid to the wrong issues. Let's just damn the torpedoes and get it done.

Translations

Translations

• Spanish: quemar la santabárbara

See also

• burn one's boats