hill to die on

Meaning

Noun

• An issue to pursue with wholehearted conviction and/or single-minded focus, with little or no regard to the cost.

Origin

• An allusion to the military practice of capturing/holding a hill (high ground), no matter the cost or (lack of) benefit, as in the Battle of Hamburger Hill or Last Stand Hill. Usually used in the negative, as in "I strongly disagree with their decision, but it's not a hill I'm willing to die on", or as a question such as "If you do this, many people will get angry (at you). Do you really want to die on that hill?".