“💸 In For a Penny, In For a Pound: Dive into Commitment”
Definition
In For a Penny, In For a Pound – Deep dive, fully commit! An idiom advising that once involved even a little, one should go the whole hog. Originating back in ye olde seventeenth-century England, it underscores courage and tenacity. Thomas Ravenscroft, 1695, melodiously whipped it into prose. Dickens got the hint and echoed it across Nicholas Nickleby, Oliver Twist, and The Old Curiosity Shop. More common across the pond in ye merry olde Britain and Ireland, occasionally spotted in America.
Synonyms
- All or nothing
- Full throttle
- Balls to the wall (pardon the cheekiness)
- Go big or go home
- Committed till the cows come home
Antonyms
- Half-hearted effort
- Dipping toes in
- Half-measures
- Lukewarm commitment
- Playing it safe
Related Terms, Proverbs, and Expressions
All-in: In poker terms, you’re risking all your chips. Translation: wallop that backdoor straight with bravado.
No guts, no glory: For without risks, rewards might sulk behind the hedgerows.
Burn your boats: Like Cortez aptly hacking off return routes, march forward with nowhere to retreat.
Go for broke: Embrace the risk of bottoming out to grasp success’s shiny horns.
Humor-Filled Quotes
- “If you’re gonna be a bear, be a grizzly.” – Unknown Standup Comedian 🐻
- “I say if you’re going to starve to death, take someone with you.” – George Carlin
- “It’s no use carrying an umbrella, if your shoes are leaking.” – Irish Saying ☔
Literature, Books, and Philosophy References
- “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens – Full commitment and tangled consequences aplenty.
- “The Fountainhead” by Ayn Rand – Dive into Howard Roark’s embrace of all-or-nothing passion.
- “The Road Less Traveled” by M. Scott Peck – Commitment-dense psychological musings.
Movies and Songs
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Movies:
- Ocean’s Eleven 🎲 – All-in heist extravaganza.
- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 🌍 – Leap of faith all relished.
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Songs:
- “Go The Distance” by Michael Bolton – Inspirational all-in anthem.
- “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor 🐅 – Fight till you’re done tune of the ages.
One must often taste risks to fully savor rewards. Carry that fortitude as poet Samuel Beckett beckoned: “Fail better.” Until next mordacious musing! 🌟
– J.J. Jestworthy
