General
balls to the wall
What does balls to the wall mean?
Going as fast or as hard as possible, with nothing held back.
"We went balls to the wall to make the deadline."
Origin
US military aviation slang; commonly traced to throttle levers (topped with balls) pushed forward to the firewall for full power.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'balls to the wall' mean?
It means going at maximum effort or full speed, with nothing held back.
Where does 'balls to the wall' come from?
It's commonly traced to aviation — the ball-topped throttle levers pushed all the way forward to the firewall for full power.
Is 'balls to the wall' vulgar?
Despite the wording, the 'balls' refer to throttle knobs, not anatomy, so it's widely used casually rather than as crude language.
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