To cut oneself off from all chance of retreat; to stake everything on success.
Origin
In reference to Hernán Cortés, who gave the order to destroy his own ships (in reality, by sinking them) when he landed in Veracruz to begin his conquest in 1519.
Modern English dictionary
Explore and search massive catalog of over 900,000 word meanings.
Word of the Day
Get a curated memorable word every day.
Challenge yourself
Level up your vocabulary by setting personal goals.