into the breach
6
8.2
- idiom
- How can we too rush into the breach, without getting underfoot?
- step into the breach
Loading YouTube…
Watch on YouTubeSo once more into the breach, dear friends.
- So once more into the breach, dear friends.
- But let's say once more into the breach, dear friends.
Examples
-
As the team faced a critical deadline, she bravely stepped into the breach to ensure the project was completed.
-
Meanwhile, some states and municipalities have stepped into the breach.
Academic text (2006) -
Let us go on once more into the breach, dear friends.
-
So once more into the breach, dear friends.
-
Well, once more into the breach, dear friends.
-
Once more into the breach, dear friends.
-
Once more into the breach, dear friends, once more...
Blog text (17) -
Once more into the breach, dear friends.
Blog text (17) -
With that voice shouting, "Once more into the breach!"
-
"Once more into the breach, brave friends," he said aloud.
Fiction book (2002)
Synonyms
292
3.7
Take action and accept responsibility for a task or problem
28
4.6
To take responsibility and act when a difficult situation happens
2
7.3
To take responsibility and act when someone else cannot
1
7.7
To join a noisy or angry argument and take part in it
1
7.0
To offer to take charge of a group or task
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The components 'into' (movement into) and 'breach' (an opening or gap) give a literal image of moving into an opening, so there is a measurable link between parts and sense. However, the conventional meaning 'to step forward and take action in a difficult situation' is a metaphorical/literary extension and not fully predictable for a B1 learner without prior exposure, so it is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Into the breach comes from old war stories where a 'breach' was a hole in a city wall and soldiers went into the breach to fight through the gap, risking their lives. So today it means 'to step forward and take action' in a difficult situation when others will not.