never knows when to quit
1
7.8
- idiom
- Informal
:
nunca sabe cuándo rendirse
- It's good to be determined, but sometimes he never knows when to quit and pushes things too far.
Examples
-
My brother never knows when to quit, even if everyone else has given up.
-
She never knows when to quit, which is admirable but sometimes exhausting for those around her.
-
Don't be like Tom; he never knows when to quit!
-
She never knows when to quit during her workouts.
-
When it comes to her fitness goals, Jenny truly never knows when to quit and pushes herself even when she feels tired.
-
During the game, Tom never knows when to quit, continuing to play even after he clearly should have stopped.
-
I've seen people who never know when to quit, going after their dreams despite the challenges they face.
Synonyms
217
2.9
Not willing to change your mind even when others try to persuade you
43
4.4
Continuing with an action despite problems or opposition
18
4.1
Someone who wants to do things their own way and refuses advice
3
8.8
A person who refuses to change their opinion or behaviour even when others try to persuade them
Very determined and unwilling to give up when trying to reach a goal
Antonyms
How Persistent
- Informal
1
7.8
62
3.7
22
5.1
100
3.2
- Informal
324
4.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
never + know + when + to + quit
The meaning is directly derivable from the parts: 'never' + 'knows' + 'when to quit' literally means 'does not ever recognize the time to stop.' This is a standard compositional clause (know when to + verb) found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words should be able to understand it.
Etymology
Never knows when to quit gives a simple picture: imagine a runner who keeps going past the finish line because they cannot tell when to stop, and the word quit here means 'stop'. So, it describes someone who keeps going and 'does not stop' even when it would be wiser to stop.