Ж-11

НА ВСЮ ЖЕЛЁЗКУ highly coll PrepP Invar adv (intensif) fixed WO

1. (used with subj: human жать, нажимать, нажать и т. п. - (to press one's foot down on a gas pedal) as hard as possible (thus making a vehicle go at its maximum speed)

X жал на всю железку — X stepped on it

X threw it into high gear X floored it X put the pedal to the metal.

«Командир нашей автороты спрашивает: „Проскочишь, Соколов?"... - „Какой разговор! - отвечаю ему. - Я должен проскочить, и баста!" - „Ну, - говорит, - дуй! Жми на всю железку!"» (Шолохов 1). "'Can you get through, Sokolov?' asks the commander of our company.... 'What are you talking about!' I told him. Tve got to get through, and that's that.' 'Get cracking then,' he says, 'and step on it!'" (lc).

«Куда?...» Бирюков показал на удаляющуюся «Волгу». «За ней, чтобы не упустить». - «На всю железку можно?» - «Жми!» (Чернёнок 1). "Where to?"Birukov pointed to the Volga ahead. "Follow that car and don't lose it." "Can I floor it?" "Go ahead!" (1a).

2. работать, делать что \Ж-11. Also: НА ПОЛНУЮ ЖЕЛЕЗКУ (to work, do sth. ) to one's full capacity, at one's full potential: (go) all out

giving it all (everything) one's got giving it one's best shot ( usu. in refer, to a physical task) with might and main going (the) whole hog (in limited contexts) going great guns.

3. жить \Ж-11 (to live one's life) taking advantage of all the opportunities life has to offer: (live life) to the fullest.