English idiom

move heaven and earth

Register · Neutral CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

to spare no effort, even extraordinary effort, in pursuing a goal

Word picture

The goal is pictured as so important that even heaven and earth would be shifted to reach it.

Example

“Her parents moved heaven and earth to find the medical care she needed.”

Dictionary details

Component words

move heaven earth

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

cost the earth

to be extraordinarily expensive

move the needle

to have a significant, measurable effect on a key metric or outcome

move fast and break things

a philosophy of shipping quickly and accepting breakage in order to learn faster

break the back of

to get past the main obstacle so that the remaining work becomes easier

go for broke

to stake everything on one final effort to win or succeed

half the battle

the most important part of achieving something

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

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