cash in one's chips
Verb
  1. (idiomatic) To discontinue an activity, accepting whatever gains or losses one has incurred; to give up.
    • 1988 Oct. 25, Andrea Adelson, "Business People: Harrah's Officer Joins Resorts International ↗," New York Times (retrieved 14 June 2011):
      Yesterday the polo-playing executive cashed in his chips at Harrah's to take a post with even higher stakes, agreeing to become president and chief executive of Resorts International Inc.
    • 2005 June 21, Thomas McCarroll, "[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1075067,00.html Corporate Raider on the Ropes]," Time:
      "I am not going to stand by and watch this company bleed to death. If we can't make money, I will cash in my chips."
  2. (idiomatic) To die.
    • 1950 Jan. 10, H. L. MacPherson, "[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QxY_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=Rk8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=3958,1756447&dq=in-his-chips+cash+|+cashes+|+cashing+|+cashed&hl=en Another Outlaw Dies With Boots Off]," Windsor Star (Canada) (retrieved 14 June 2011):
      A tough old hombre, unregenerate to the last, cashed in his chips in Oklahoma City the other day.
    • 1982 Jan. 24, Evan Hunter, "Spies and Moles and Other Entertainers ↗," New York Times (retrieved 14 June 2011):
      So what are trained readers of spy novels supposed to believe when Michael cashes in his chips and two strangers arrive to remove his body from the premises?
    • 2007 Feb. 7, Cowboy Dan Lewis, "[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XvQyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Wg8GAAAAIBAJ&pg=1720,2309560&dq=in-my-chips+cash+|+cashes+|+cashing+|+cashed&hl=en Two Birds, But No Stone]," Julian News (California, USA), p. 6 (retrieved 14 June 2011):
      Two years and one month ago I broke my neck in a car accident. I made it through but just barely. I came real close to cashing in my chips.
Synonyms


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