Moving Heaven and Earth
To Exert Oneself to the Utmost to Accomplish Something
You know you’re serious about getting things done when you’re willing to rearrange celestial spheres. This exaggerated phrase entered the vernacular in the eighteenth century, usually suggesting someone is going to extraordinary lengths to achieve a goal. It must have been a popular sentiment, as evidenced by its abundant use in literature!
Take F. Anstey’s Tinted Venus (1885) for example: “There’s the police moving heaven and earth to get you back again.” The police in this context might not be bracing Hercules’ feats, but they’re certainly pursuing relentlessly!
Related and Similar Terms
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Pull out all the stops: Going all out, doing everything possible.
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Leave no stone unturned: Making every possible effort to find or do something.
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Go above and beyond: Exceeding expectations in effort or performance.
Synonyms
- To strive mightily
- To push the boundaries
Antonyms
- Take it easy
- Cut corners
Humor-filled Quote
“I didn’t move heaven and earth—just my couch, and that was hard enough.” - Anon
Proverbs and Expressions
- “No pain, no gain.”: Success requires hard work and steadfast effort.
- “By hook or by crook.”: Accomplishing something by any possible means.
Recommended Literature
- “The Odyssey” by Homer: Few works better capture the idea of going to the ends of the earth through countless hardships.
- “Don Quixote” by Miguel de Cervantes: A tale of astonishing—or quixotic—endeavors.
Songs
- “I Would Do Anything for Love” by Meat Loaf: Another emphatic proof of going to great lengths.
Movies
- “Mission: Impossible” Series: If ever a franchise personified moving heaven and earth to get things done, this is it.
Farewell thought:
Wear your determination like a superhero cape. Sometimes, to achieve our dreams, indeed, we must be willing to move heaven and earth. With effort hard enough to exceed Herculean standards, even the sky isn’t the limit—it’s just another milestone.
Keep dreaming the impossible and doing the improbable!
-Max Hyperbole
