go for the jugular

English

Verb

go for the jugular

1. (idiomatic) To exert an unrestrained, aggressive effort, especially by assailing an opponent's or victim's area of greatest vulnerability.
   • 1988, "Litigation is War–True or False?," ABA Journal, 1 March, p. 8 (retrieved 29 March 2011):

     The cover story of last July's Journal was on hardball litigation tactics. It quoted lawyers talking about pulling out all the stops, going for the jugular.

   • 2005, Neil Harmon, "Hewitt to carry the hopes of a nation," times.online (UK), 29 Jan. (retrieved 29 March 2011):

     Hewitt, angered by being kept hanging around, went for the jugular, breaking Roddick’s first and third service games to set himself up for a victory completed with another error from Roddick’s forehand wing.

   • 2008, Joe Klein, "What Bush Taught McCain," Time, 28 Aug.:

     We have just now completed the month of August, which is the cruelest month for Democrats, the month when Republicans go for the jugular, trotting out arguments — some valid, most scurrilous — that paint their Democratic rivals as weak, élite or unpatriotic.

Synonyms

• go for the kill

See also

• smell blood