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      • To sink or swim suggests that you will either succeed or fail based on your own skills. Others may have taught you or helped you to prepare for something. But, the final responsibility is yours. So, we use this idiom to describe a high-pressure situation where your success or survival depends on your ability to perform.
      learningenglish.voanews.com/a/to-sink-or-swim-is-up-to-you/7177670.html

      'To Sink or Swim' Is Up to You - VOA Learning English

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  3. idiomorigins.org › origin › sink-or-swimSink or swim - History of Sink or swim - Idiom Origins

    Sink or swim. Succeed or fail depending on one’s own efforts dates from at least the 14th century when the expression used to be ‘sink or float’ because in those days relatively few people knew how to swim.

  4. www.centraltimes.org › showcase › 2021/02/05Opinion: It’s sink or swim when it comes to mental health

    Feb 5, 2021 · The metaphor “sink or swim” refers to a situation when a person is thrown into water. They are then given two choices: either learn how to swim on their own, or sink and ultimately drown.

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  6. writingtips.org › sink-or-swim'Sink or Swim': Definition, Meaning, Examples

    Oct 19, 2023 · What Does 'Sink or Swim' Mean? 'Sink or swim' is an idiom that means 'to succeed or fail by your own efforts.' If someone is in a 'sink or swim' situation, it means that they must use their own means to save themselves or otherwise fail completely.

  7. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › sink or swimSink or swim Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

    Oct 17, 2024 · The meaning of SINK OR SWIM is —used to refer to a situation in which someone either must succeed by his or her own efforts or fail completely. How to use sink or swim in a sentence.

  8. www.oysterenglish.com › idiom-sink-or-swimIdiom: Sink or swim (meaning & examples) - Oyster English

    The idiom "sink or swim" means to succeed or fail by your own efforts. These examples will help you easily understand this phrase...

  9. redkiwiapp.com › en › english-guideMeaning of Sink or swim | Idioms & Phrases - redkiwiapp.com

    "Sink or Swim" conveys a tone of urgency and self-reliance. It emphasizes the need for determination and the willingness to take risks in order to succeed. Can “Sink or swim” be used in informal and formal settings?

  10. dictionary.cambridge.org › english › sink-or-swimSINK OR SWIM | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

    If you are left to sink or swim, you are given no help so that you succeed or fail completely by your own efforts: My employer gave me no help when I started my new job - I was just left to sink or swim. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Coping and not coping. balancing act.

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