Quote
1. Quote - Listen to the quote and guess what the slang means.
“I just want to keep going for broke, making bigger and bigger things like ‘Lord of the Rings,’ until they kick me out of Hollywood. I just want to do the biggest thing I can.”
Actor and Director Evan Goldberg, talking about making expensive and crazy movies (BrainyQuote)
Definition
1. Definition - Study the definition.
risk everything; try as hard as possible; do something all the way
2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.
Let’s say that someone tells you to run in a marathon (a 42 kilometer long race) tomorrow. If you win, you will earn one million dollars. What do you do? Say no? Give it just a little effort because you don’t think you will win? Or do you go for broke and try to finish first?
The expression go for broke means to try as hard as you possibly can, and risk everything along the way. It comes from the idea that one will make something as amazing as possible until he or she goes broke (runs out of money). It’s good to go for broke on projects that you are really passionate about. Just don’t do it for everything, because then you will never have any time, money, or energy!
Evan Goldberg says he likes to go for broke in all of the movies that he makes. He thinks his job is only fun when he is trying as hard as he possibly can. He says he will keep working the way he does until people no longer let him work in the movie business.
When is the last time you went for broke? What did you do?
Examples
1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.
“I’m too shy to ask her out, but my friends tell me to go for broke!”
“They definitely went for broke making this church. Look at how nice it is!”
“Jimmy always goes for broke on his homework assignments.”