Phrase guide

go to great lengths

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To make a major effort; to be very careful when doing something, especially to an extreme or excessive degree.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

15 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 不遺餘力 /不遗余力 (bùyíyúlì) — make a major effort
  • Chinese Mandarin: 竭盡全力 /竭尽全力 (jiéjìnquánlì) — make a major effort
  • Chinese Mandarin: 死拼 (sǐpīn) — make a major effort
  • Finnish: nähdä paljon vaivaa — make a major effort
  • Polish: dokładać wszelkich starań — make a major effort
  • Polish: dołożyć wszelkich starań — make a major effort
  • Portuguese: não medir esforços — make a major effort
  • Portuguese: fazer das tripas coração — make a major effort
  • Russian: стара́ться и́зо всех сил (starátʹsja ízo vsex sil) — make a major effort
  • Russian: прилага́ть ма́ксимум уси́лий из ко́жи вон лезть (prilagátʹ máksimum usílij) — make a major effort
  • Russian: костьми́ лечь (kostʹmí lečʹ) — make a major effort
  • Russian: разбива́ться в лепёшку (razbivátʹsja v lepjóšku) — make a major effort
  • Russian: вывора́чиваться наизна́нку (vyvoráčivatʹsja naiznánku) — make a major effort
  • Russian: рыть зе́млю но́сом (rytʹ zémlju nósom) — make a major effort
  • Turkish: varını yoğuna katmak — make a major effort