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pull all the stops

1. v. i. To go balls out, put forth a great effort.
2. v. i. To take a risk, go out on a limb.
Pipe organs have little plungers called stops which control the volume. When the stops are pushed all the way in, the sound is very quiet. When pulled all the way out, the sound is very loud.
She pulled all the stops and cooked me a delicious candlelit dinner. Then she pulled all the stops and asked me if I thought she looked fat in that dress.
by fizzle April 22, 2004
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Pull out all the stops

Say you really wanted to impress your girlfriend, and you wanted to pull out all the stops, on would buy flowers, make her dinner, clean the house, sprinkle the bed with petals, light candles.
by emilyGASM December 1, 2009
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