Doing One's Best: English Vocabulary List

to try harder than what is expected

"She goes the extra mile."

"To truly impress the client, you must be willing to go the extra mile and exceed their expectations."

to put an extreme or great amount of effort into achieving or doing something

"He would go to any length to win."

"The desperate mother would go to any length to find her lost child."

to do whatever it takes to do or achieve something, even if it is not easy

"I would go to the ends of the earth for you."

"True friends will go to the ends of the earth to help each other in times of need."

to do everything one can in order to achieve a goal, particularly when it involves finding or looking for something

"We will leave no stone unturned."

"The detective left no stone unturned in his search for the missing child."

to try extremely hard and do everything that one is capable of in order to succeed in something

"She moved heaven and earth."

"He promised to move heaven and earth to ensure his daughter received the best medical treatment available."

to try very hard and do everything that is possible to succeed in something

"We must pull out all the stops."

"To ensure the project's success, the team decided to pull out all the stops."

to be romantically involved with someone who is considered more socially desirable than oneself

"He punches above his weight."

"Many people say he punches above his weight dating such a beautiful woman."

using all of the available resources, energy, etc.

"They worked at full stretch."

"The team has been operating at full stretch for months to meet the tight deadline."

to put in an extreme or great amount of effort to do something

"The teacher bent over backward to help her students."

"My boss bent over backward to help me get the time off work when my mother was sick."

to try really hard to accomplish something

"I busted my hump to get this done."

"I busted my hump cleaning the house and then my kids made a mess again immediately."

to try to do something as well as one is capable of

"Just do your best on the test."

"You do not need to be perfect for this job but you must always do your best."

to make effort in order to do something in the best way possible

"I will do my utmost to help."

"The rescue team did their utmost to save the trapped miners from the collapsed tunnel."

to put in as much effort as possible into something one is doing

"He gave it his all."

"She gave the performance her all and received a standing ovation from the audience."

to use all of one's energy, resources, determination, or strength to do something

"They went all out."

"For her birthday, they decided to go all out and throw a surprise party with a live band."

to put in more effort than what is expected or required of one in order to do or achieve something

"She went out of her way to help me."

"My kind neighbour went out of her way to drive me to the hospital when I was sick."

to put as much effort as possible into doing something, particularly something difficult

"Try to put your best foot forward."

"Make sure you put your best foot forward at the interview by dressing professionally and smiling."

used to state that even if someone failed to succeed, they tried their best

"Not for want of trying."

"He didn't win the race, but not for the want of trying, as he trained every single day."

to make effort to do something in the best possible way

"Give it your best shot."

"Even if the task seems impossible, you should give it your best shot and see what happens."

to suffer ruin, failure, or defeat, due to financial difficulties, and without the possibility of recovery or rescue

"Many small businesses went to the wall."

"Many small businesses went to the wall during the recent economic recession."

the best or most possible thing or action that can help one achieve success in something

"Your best bet is to wait."

"If you want to avoid traffic your best bet is to leave home before six o'clock in the morning."

to try one's best to do or achieve something

"I busted a gut trying to finish on time."

"I really had to bust a gut to finish the project before the strict deadline arrived."

to succeed or try to succeed in doing something that often demands more power, ability, money, etc. than one has

"He punched above his weight."

"Despite facing much larger competitors, the small startup managed to punch above its weight and secure funding."

to put as much effort as possible into doing something, particularly something difficult

"Put your best foot forward."

"Despite the challenges, she resolved to put her best foot forward during the crucial presentation."

to do everything that one is capable of in order to do or achieve something

"We must go to the wall."

"To achieve our ambitious goals, the entire team must be prepared to go to the wall."

to try one's best to do or achieve something

"I will bust a gut."

"We all had to bust a gut to finish the project before the deadline."