PhrasesHub

went to town

    Definitions

      • to do something with great energy and enthusiasm
        To put a lot of effort or attention into doing something

      • to criticize someone or something severely
        To express strong disapproval or disbelief about someone or something

    Examples of went to town

    • John's team really went to town on the competition in the final match. They dominated the game and came out with a decisive victory.

      In this example, "went to town" is used metaphorically to describe how John's team played exceptionally well in the final match. The phrase "went to town" implies that they played with great intensity, energy, and skill, leaving their opponents no chance of winning.

    • After losing her job, Sarah really went to town on her job search. She applied to dozens of companies every week and attended networking events every evening.

      Here, "went to town" is used to describe how Sarah approached her job search after losing her job. It suggests that she put in a lot of effort and went above and beyond what is typically expected, such as applying to many companies and attending networking events frequently.

    • With the new software, our company's productivity really went to town. We were able to complete tasks much faster and with greater accuracy.

      In this example, "went to town" is used to describe how the new software improved the company's productivity. It implies that the software had a significant positive impact on the company's efficiency, resulting in faster and more accurate work.

    • The police finally caught the criminal who terrorized the town for years. They really went to town investigating the case and piecing together the evidence.

      Here, "went to town" is used to describe the efforts put in by the police to catch the criminal who had been causing trouble in the town for a long time. It suggests that they devoted significant resources, such as time, manpower, and other resources, to the investigation.

    • Sarah's daughter spent weeks decorating their house for Christmas, and when Sarah's friends came over to see it, Sarah said, "My daughter really went to town on the decorations this year!"

      In this example, "went to town" is being used idiomatically to mean that Sarah's daughter went all out in decorating the house for Christmas. It suggests that a lot of effort and resources were used to make the decorations look impressive.

    • When Michael graduated from law school, he celebrated in style by throwing a big party for his friends and family. His friends said afterwards, "Michael really went to town for his graduation celebration!"

      In this example, "went to town" is being used idiomatically to mean that Michael put a lot of effort and resources into his graduation celebration. It suggests that the party was grand and elaborate, and that Michael wanted to make it a memorable event.

    • At the company picnic, the employee servers went all out by preparing an extensive spread of food for the attendees. One of the attendees remarked, "The company really went to town with the food at this picnic!"

      In this example, "went to town" is being used idiomatically to mean that the company provided a lot of food for the picnic. It suggests that there was a wide variety of dishes, and that the attendees were well-fed.

    • During the art fair, the artist's booth was decorated with intricate and colorful displays of her artwork. A fellow artist commented, "You really went to town with your booth display!"

      In this example, "went to town" is being used idiomatically to mean that the artist put a lot of effort into creating an attractive and impressive display of her artwork. It suggests that the booth was visually appealing and caught the attention of many fair attendees.


    Conclusion

    The idiom "went to town" has two distinct meanings. The first meaning is to do something with great energy and enthusiasm, putting a lot of effort or attention into the task. The second meaning is to criticize someone or something severely, expressing strong disapproval or disbelief.

    In both cases, this idiom is used to emphasize the intensity of the action or emotion being described.

    Origin of "went to town"

    The origin of the idiom "went to town" is not entirely clear, but it is believed to have originated in the United States in the 19th century. The expression may have been derived from the idea of going to a town or city where there are more opportunities for excitement and activity.

    In the context of criticism, "went to town" may have originated from the idea of a group of people coming together in a town to publicly express their disapproval of something or someone. Over time, the phrase has evolved to its current usage to indicate strong criticism or disapproval. Overall, the idiom "went to town" reflects the energy and intensity of both positive and negative actions.