go to the mat

verb

To continue to struggle or fight until either victorious or defeated.

“He was ready to go to the mat to keep the old color scheme.”

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Meanings

verbgo to the mat (third-person singular simple present goes to the mat, present participle going to the mat, simple past went to the mat, past participle gone to the mat)

present singular third person goes to the mat · participle present going to the mat · past went to the mat · participle past gone to the mat · alternative go to the mats

  1. USidiomaticTo continue to struggle or fight until either victorious or defeated.

    He was ready to go to the mat to keep the old color scheme.

Origin

A reference to wrestling.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

go to the mat. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/go%20to%20the%20mat

MLA

“go to the mat.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/go%20to%20the%20mat. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “go to the mat,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/go%20to%20the%20mat.

Source: go to the mat on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.