go all the way—
1. successfully complete smth. not stopping halfway:
- The government didn’t go all the way; it restricted advertising by tobacco companies, but didn’t ban it.
2. (euph.) have sex (as distinguished from other forms of caressing):
- Unmarried women were not supposed to “go all the way.” They were expected to remain virgins until they married.
go the full distance—(also: go the distance)
1. (Sport) continue running or playing until the end of the race or match:
- Even though the race course was in bad condition, all the horses went the full distance.
2. = go all the way 1:
- We will go the full distance to ensure customer satisfaction and the highest possible
level of quality. Cf.: go the extra mile—take extra effort; work longer or harder than expected:
- Hefflinger is a prime example of a coach who is willing to go the extra mile for the improvement of his team.