Go Whole Hog
Go whole hog means to commit fully or go all the way with something, without holding back. It’s a colorful way of saying you’re giving it everything you’ve got.
I can remember when Dollywood would 'go whole hog' when I was a kid - mashed taters, biscuits, and pie too. I can remember when Dollywood would 'go whole hog' when I was a kid - mashed taters, biscuits, and pie too. Pronunciation
/ɡoʊ hoʊl hɔːɡ/
Meaning & Usage
- To do something completely, with full effort or enthusiasm
You really built a whole barn just for that one cow?Sure did - I went whole hog.Origin
The phrase started in **England in the early 1800s**, likely inspired by debates about eating pork and the expression "go the whole animal." It was popularized in **America during the 1828 presidential election**, when supporters of **Andrew Jackson** were called "whole-hog men" - meaning they backed him entirely.
The vivid image of taking the "whole hog" instead of part of it fit perfectly with frontier and Southern speech, and it stuck as a way to describe doing something with total commitment.
Verdict: Southernish. Widely used in Southern and country talk, but originally an English and early American political expression.
Notes
- Used proudly or humorously to describe total effort, enthusiasm, or indulgence.
- Can apply to work, food, politics, or projects - anything done to the max.
- Pairs naturally with other food idioms like "high on the hog" or "puttin’ on the dog."
- Still common in both rural and mainstream American English today.