
IdiomDaily Life
English
do nothing by halves
Meaning: To commit fully to whatever one does.
Example: “She repainted every room and the shed too; she does nothing by halves.”
Origin: To do something "by halves" is to leave it half finished; the phrase is recorded from the 16th century, usually in the negative.
More English idioms
- keep someone on a short leash To keep someone under close control.
- not for all the tea in China Under no circumstances.
- rein someone in To bring someone under control.
- keep one's feet on the ground To stay realistic and unaffected by success.
- become second nature To become so familiar that one does it without thinking.
- right on cue At exactly the right moment.
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