Skip to content
ontologydriven
Sign out

Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

walk on broken glass en · VERB

Meanings

  1. (idiomatic) To do everything possible to achieve something, even if it involves great risk or discomfort.
    • “We’ve got a lot of players not playing domestic football week in, week out. What is it? Is it the crest on their chest that makes them raise their game? It must be. It’s playing for Wales. It’s powerful and everybody would walk on broken glass to get into this squad. Credit goes to the players.” 2021 June 16, Ben Fisher, “Robert Page hails Gareth Bale’s courage after captain drives Wales to victory”, in The Guardian:
    • Trump won’t succeed, as his successive losses of the House, Senate, presidency and last week’s midterm results show. Too many Americans would crawl on broken glass to vote against him, no matter who his general election opponent may be. They have seen enough. 2022 November 15, George T. Conway III, “Trump is out for vengeance — and to protect himself from prosecution”, in The Washington Post:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
crawl across broken glass alternative lexicographic
walking on broken glass Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
walks on broken glass Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
walked on broken glass Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
walked on broken glass Tense=Past lexicographic
walk across broken glass alternative lexicographic
crawl on broken glass alternative lexicographic

Relateds

walk on eggshells

Synonyms

go to great lengths · move heaven and earth · bend over backwards · go to the ends of the earth