when the chips are down

English

Etymology

From the game of poker.

Pronunciation

  • Audio (UK)(file)

Phrase

when the chips are down

  1. (idiomatic) When the pressure is on; when the situation is urgent or critical
    He wasn't a very talented musician but, when the chips were down, he played well.
    When the chips are down, you need to make tough decisions.

See also

This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.