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shoot the works

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shoot the works

 

1. to do everything; to use everything; to bet all one's money. Okay, let's go out to dinner and shoot the works. Don't shoot the works! Save some for a cab.

2. Sl. to empty one's stomach; to vomit. Suddenly she turned sort of green, and I knew she was going to shoot the works. After she shot the works, she looked fine—but I was sort of pale.

See also: shoot, work

shoot the works

  (American informal)

to spend all your money or to use as much effort as possible to do something (usually + on ) I could shoot the works on a round the world trip. They shot the works on their daughter's wedding.

See also: shoot, work

shoot the works

Expend all one's efforts or capital, as in He's broke after shooting the works on that new office building. [Colloquial; first half of 1900s] Also see the works.

See also: shoot, work

shoot the works

1. tv. to do everything; to use everything; to bet all one’s money. Don’t shoot the works! Save some for a cab.

2. tv. to empty one’s stomach; to vomit. Suddenly she turned sort of green, and I knew she was going to shoot the works.

See also: shoot, work

shoot the works

Informal

To expend all of one's efforts or capital.

See also: shoot, work