GO UP IN SMOKE, GO WHOLE HOG, GO WITH THE FLOW: American English Idioms #102

GO UP IN SMOKE

This idiom means to be lost, wasted, or destroyed. It usually refers to how money or energy is spent or used up. One example is when a person struggles with debt and eventually becomes insolvent even though they are trying to pay off their debts. Another example is when an organization spends all of its revenue on projects without saving money for any emergencies.

This idiom is used to describe when something has been destroyed or ended. A less exciting usage of the phrase is when something that was lost, such as a smoking gun in a criminal case, is never found. It’s thought to be derived from the Native American practice of lighting fires and having them burn continuously for ceremonial reasons.

GO UP IN SMOKE idiom is a term for something that has been destroyed or something that no longer exists. For example, if someone sets fire to hillsides, the brush and trees will go up in smoke. If a car is burned out by a mob of protesters, it will go up in smoke.

The idiom “go up in smoke” is a metaphorical expression which means to be lost or destroyed. This term is typically used to describe money that has been spent by a client who could not pay for it. If a customer spends more than they have, they could go up in smoke and the business may not get repaid.

GO WHOLE HOG

The GO WHOLE HOG idiom may be used to describe a person who does not want to do anything to excess or moderation, but rather goes for everything they can get. This may be seen as a strategy of not compromising and doing what you think is best, even if it may seem like the opposite of everyone else.

The phrase “going whole hog” means to do something in a very thorough or exaggerated way. It can be used in academic situations. For example, when an individual is studying for their final exam, they may find themselves cramming information all at once and studying much more than they would have otherwise.

A whole hog is a perfect metaphor for the mentality of, “go all out.” Basically, you’re saying that it’s better to be excessive than to hold back. The phrase was first used by the Greeks and still holds the same meaning today. The phrase is commonly heard in business and military spheres, as well as in sports discourse.

This idiom is often used to mean “to do something completely, including all aspects”. For example, a student might need to pull an all-nighter in order to get their homework done.

The idiom GO WHOLE HOG is often used when referring to doing something completely. It most likely originated with the phrase “go whole hog” meaning to go all in or use maximum effort. The term also can be used in reference to someone who has made a commitment for the long haul, such as with marriage.

GO WITH THE FLOW

This is a phrase that means to go with the flow of events without fighting them, which can be related to not resisting external stimuli. It can also refer to accepting change, which can require changes in behavior.

The idiom “go with the flow” is usually used to encourage someone to be more flexible and be more open-minded in their thinking. There are three components to this phrase: (1) follow your intuition, (2) do what feels right, and (3) go with the current of the river. These three components create a powerful mantra for trusting your gut instinct and doing what feels right in the moment, not worrying about how it will affect you in the future.

The GO WITH THE FLOW idiom means to accept what is happening without trying to resist. It is often used in situations where there is no other possible outcome (e.g., natural disasters). For example, if a person’s house was destroyed by a tsunami, they might say “I don’t know if we’re going to rebuild our house, but I guess we’ll go with the flow and see what happens.

The idiom GO WITH THE FLOW is a metaphor for adapting and transitioning to new and challenging circumstances. The idiom is applied in many different contexts, such as:
In order to go with the flow, one must have a flexible mindset that allows them to adapt quickly to what life throws at them.
It is often necessary to go with the flow when an individual’s life changes drastically or when they are faced with something that is intimidating or foreign.