put the pedal to the metal

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Verb

1. (idiomatic) To press the gas pedal to the maximum extent.

   Synonyms: floor it, redline

   cot en

   • 2013, Loyd E. Hill, Marvin R. Query, Reap the Wild Seeds, Xlibris Corporation (ISBN 9781483636566), page 74 ↗:

     I released the brakes, smashed the clutch and switched the transmission case into low gear, then put the pedal to the metal again throwing the car into what is known as a “moonshine spin”.

2. (by extension) To exert maximum effort.

   Synonyms: go all out

   • 2007, Donna Carter, 10 Smart Things Women Can Do to Build a Better Life, Harvest House Publishers (ISBN 9780736935289), page 22 ↗:

     There are times for all of us when we have to put the pedal to the metal. Businesspeople and students have deadlines. Parents have periods of time when they don't get breaks because their partners are unavailable or they have no partners.

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