bet the farm
English
Pronunciation
Audio (AU) (file)
Verb
bet the farm (third-person singular simple present bets the farm, present participle betting the farm, simple past and past participle bet the farm)
- (idiomatic) To be absolutely certain, to have no doubts.
- I'd be surprised if those two are still dating come Christmas, but I'm not betting the farm on a breakup just yet.
- 2016 October 24, Owen Gibson, “Is the unthinkable happening – are people finally switching the football off?”, in The Guardian, London:
- Since Rupert Murdoch famously bet the farm on Premier League football to rescue Sky TV in 1991, it has been the catnip that has underpinned subscriber loyalty and, even in a far more complicated media landscape, is seen as so vital as to be worth almost any price.
- To make a substantial wager or risk.
Synonyms
- bet one's bottom dollar, bet one's boots, bet the ranch
Translations
bet one's boots — see bet one's boots
See also
- give away the store