go to town

present singular third person goes to town · participle present going to town · past went to town · participle past gone to town

1. idiomaticTo proceed enthusiastically, vigorously, or expertly.

   She really went to town with the party preparations.

   3 more examples

   Never slow to bang the drum, the English press went to town, calling Lineker the “Matador of Madrid” and announcing that “Spain are Linekered.”

   2018 October 15, Steven Pye, “When Gary Lineker scored four goals to help England win 4-2 in Spain”, in The Guardian, →ISSN, archived from the original on 05 Jul 2019

   The news channels had been the first to figure out that particular wrinkle, but the religions really went to town with it.

   2018 November, N. K. Jemisin, How Long 'til Black Future Month?, Hachette, →ISBN

   Oh, I went to town in the last lockdown, spent a lot of money on the paints, the brushes, the figurines for a game called Hero Quest.

   2022 May 29, Tom Lamont, quoting Jim Howick, “‘We were always trying to push boundaries’: Jim Howick on breaking taboos, coping with life and the joy of dogs”, in The Observer, →ISSN, archived from the original on 07 Mar 2023

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see go, to, town.

   Pa went to town to buy a new plough.

   Synonyms: go to work