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!".[1]

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU):

  (file)

Verb

damn the torpedoes

1. (idiomatic) 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
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

See also

• burn one's boats