once more into the breach

9.9

To try again to face a difficult situation even after failing before

idiom

Literature

: una vez más al ataque

Let's go once more into the breach and try to win this game!

Examples

Inspired by their leader, the soldiers went once more into the breach despite their exhaustion.
After several failed attempts, he went once more into the breach to solve the problem.
As the deadline approached, the group decided it was once more into the breach to finish the project.
After our last attempt, we decided to go once more into the breach.
After several failed attempts to win the championship, the team bravely went once more into the breach to give it another shot.
With determination in their eyes, the explorers ventured once more into the breach to face the challenges of the uncharted territory.
Following their initial setbacks, the volunteers rallied and prepared once more into the breach to help the community.

Synonyms

into the breach

vsonce more into the breach

4 8.2

To step forward and help in a difficult situation when others cannot or will not

urges making another attempt despite previous difficulties

to step into the breach

vsonce more into the breach

Informal

2 7.3

To take responsibility and act when someone else cannot

urges making another attempt despite previous difficulties

Antonyms

to give up

∞ 1.2

To stop trying to do something or accept defeat

How Encouraging

once more into the breach

Literature

9.9

to urge

591 3.2

to encourage

∞ 2.3

to suggest

∞ 1.6

Surface Forms

once more into the breach main

Morphology

once + more + into + the + breach

The phrase composes 'once more' (again) with 'into the breach' (into a gap or opening), so a learner who knows the constituent meanings can fairly directly infer an exhortation to go back into a dangerous opening or to try again. However, the wording is literary/poetic and used metaphorically in modern contexts, so the exact pragmatic force and idiomatic tone may not be fully predictable without some exposure.

Etymology

Once more into the breach comes from a famous speech in Shakespeare's play where soldiers are told to go again through a broken part of the city wall. The image of marching back into the breach, the gap in the wall, explains why the phrase today is used to encourage someone to 'try again' or face a hard challenge one more time.