Etymology
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In reference to the dangers of hell and stormy seas.
Pronunciation
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come hell or high water
- (idiomatic) Regardless of the hardships.
The pioneers were determined to build a community in the wilderness come hell or high water.
1932, Delos W. Lovelace, King Kong, published 1965, page 1:Her crew knew that deep in her heart beat engines fit and able to push her blunt old nose ahead at a sweet fourteen knots, come Hell or high water.
Usage notes
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Only used in the subjunctive mood (in anticipation of some intended action).
Synonyms
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Translations
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- Danish: med djævelens vold og magt (literally “by the devil's violence and might”), koste hvad det være (literally “cost what it may”)
- Dutch: wat er zich ook voordoet
- Finnish: kävi miten kävi
- French: coûte que coûte (fr), à tout prix (fr), quoi qu’il arrive
- German: koste es was es wolle
- Hungarian: tűzön-vízen át, ha esik, ha fúj
- Italian: cascasse il cielo, cascasse il mondo, succeda quel che succeda
- Japanese: 雨が降ろうと槍が降ろうと (literally “whether rain falls or spears fall”), 雨が降ろうが槍が降ろうが
- Polish: no equivalent term in Polish, but see choćby się waliło i paliło, żeby się waliło i paliło
- Portuguese: faça chuva ou faça sol
- Russian: во что́ бы то ни ста́ло (ru) (vo štó by to ni stálo)
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