go great guns

English[edit]

go great guns (third-person singular simple present goes great guns, present participle going great guns, simple past went great guns, past participle gone great guns)

(intransitive, idiomatic) To perform particularly well; to be particularly successful.
- 1910, P. G. Wodehouse, chapter 17, in The Intrusion of Jimmy:
  The game between Hargate and Lord Dreever was still in progress when Jimmy returned to the billiard-room. . . . "Hargate's been going great guns. I was eleven ahead a moment ago, but he made a break of twelve."
- 1964 June 16, Arnold Palmer, quotee, “All Eyes On Lema At U.S. Open This Week”, in The Indianapolis Star, volume 62, number 11, Indianapolis, Ind., page 22:
  I gave him my putter earlier this year in Oklahoma City. He was having trouble on the greens and I said, ‘Here, try this.’ He did, and he’s been going great guns ever since.
- 1988 March 12, Alasdair Marshall, “Video: Dancing the Night Away”, in Evening Times, Scotland, retrieved 5 November 2010, page 6:
  The film is bound to go great guns on video and fans of the early Travolta movies like Saturday Night Fever and Grease should be first in the queue.
(intransitive, idiomatic) To move or proceed very quickly.
- 2002 December 4, “Cuba Beckons: Clipper Race 2002”, in International Sailing Federation (www.sailing.org), retrieved 5 November 2010:
  Sam Fuller and the crew of New York Clipper continue to go great guns and retain a comfortable lead as they approach the south eastern tip of Cuba.

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