go out on a limb

present singular third person goes out on a limb · participle present going out on a limb · past went out on a limb · participle past gone out on a limb

1. To take a risk.

   He doesn't want to go out on a limb, but he really should give it a try.

   1 more example

   Consenting Adult is probably worth watching, if only because it's not every day a TV movie is made about gay people. But don't expect too much. As long as groups like the Moral Majority have power, I doubt TV will be going out on much of a limb for us.

   1985 February 9, Sally Jordan, “Consenting Adult (review)”, in Gay Community News, volume 12, number 29, page 15

2. To hazard a guess.

   I’m going to go out on a limb here. You’re together?

   2 more examples

   We all see the way you stare at Kessia. From the way you two talk, it sounds like you knew each other on Kadara. I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess you came here for her.

   2017, BioWare, Mass Effect: Andromeda (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Just go for it

   Well, Kevin, as always, I appreciate you going way way out on a limb with these predictions and you know, it's making me wish that I had, you know, perhaps gone further out on a limb.

   2025 December 19, Kevin Roose, Casey Newton, “Why Roomba Died + Tech Predictions for 2026 + A Hard Forkin' Xmas Song”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC