go for broke

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Contents

English [edit]

Etymology [edit]

From Hawaiian Pidgin craps slang, meaning “to wager everything on one roll”: one would be broke, bankrupt if one loses.[1]

Popularized by the movie Go for Broke! (1951), which is named for the 442nd Infantry Regiment’s unit motto.

Verb [edit]

go for broke

  1. To wager everything.
  2. (idiomatic) To try everything possible or do last thing possible in a final attempt.

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ The movie Go for Broke!, which popularized this phrase, gives this etymology.