burn\ one's\ bridges

burn\ one's\ bridges
• burn one's bridges
• burn one's boats
v. phr.
To make a decision that you cannot change; remove or destroy all the ways you can get back out of a place you have got into on purpose; leave yourself no way to escape a position.

Bob was a good wrestler but a poor boxer. He burned his boats by letting Mickey choose how they would fight.

When Dorothy became a nun, she burned her bridges behind her.


Словарь американских идиом. — СПб., Изд-во "Лань". . 1997.

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  • burn one's bridges — ► burn one s boats (or bridges) do something which makes turning back impossible. Main Entry: ↑burn …   English terms dictionary

  • burn one's bridges — also[burn one s boats] {v. phr.} To make a decision that you cannot change; remove or destroy all the ways you can get back out of a place you have got into on purpose; leave yourself no way to escape a position. * /Bob was a good wrestler but a… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • burn one's bridges — also[burn one s boats] {v. phr.} To make a decision that you cannot change; remove or destroy all the ways you can get back out of a place you have got into on purpose; leave yourself no way to escape a position. * /Bob was a good wrestler but a… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • burn one's bridges — phrasal also burn one s boats : to cut off all means of retreat * * * I see burn I II do something that makes it impossible to return to an earlier state …   Useful english dictionary

  • burn one's bridges — also burn one s boats phrasal to cut off all means of retreat …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • burn one's bridges — verb To destroy ones path, connections, reputation, opportunities, etc. Even if you are dismissed from a job in the worst way, take care to not burn your bridges with unseemly comments on the way out, since you never know who you will meet again …   Wiktionary

  • burn one's bridges behind one — do something that makes going back impossible He burned his bridges behind him and is unable to work in the same industry again …   Idioms and examples

  • burn one's bridges — break off ties, destroy existing connections; get rid of the possibility of return …   English contemporary dictionary

  • burn\ one's\ boats — • burn one s bridges • burn one s boats v. phr. To make a decision that you cannot change; remove or destroy all the ways you can get back out of a place you have got into on purpose; leave yourself no way to escape a position. Bob was a good… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • burn one's boats — phrasal see burn one s bridges * * * burn one s boats ● burn …   Useful english dictionary

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