Meanings
present singular third person moves heaven and earth · participle present moving heaven and earth · participle past moved heaven and earth · past moved heaven and earth
- idiomaticTo do whatever is necessary, including extreme or unusual actions; to go to extremes.
He would move heaven and earth to make sure his family is healthy.
1 more example
Our policy reflects too little of this. The official line is enduring commitment, and promises to move heaven and earth for those most in danger. But in practice Afghanistan is being swept under the carpet.
2023 March 9, Dan Jarvis, “Britain promised to move heaven and earth for all who helped us in Afghanistan. It wasn’t true”, in The Guardian, →ISSNSynonyms: move mountains
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo do whatever is necessary, including extreme or unusual actions; to go to extremes.
Translations
Catalan remoure cel i terra, fer l'impossible
- remoure cel i terrato go to extreme lengths
- fer l'impossibleto go to extreme lengths
- fer mans i màniguesto go to extreme lengths
- posar-hi el collto go to extreme lengths
Dutch hemel en aarde bewegen
- hemel en aarde bewegento go to extreme lengths
Finnish kääntää maat ja taivaat nurin, tehdä kaikkensa
- kääntää maat ja taivaat nurinto go to extreme lengths
- tehdä kaikkensato go to extreme lengths
French remuer ciel et terre
- remuer ciel et terreto go to extreme lengths
German Himmel und Hölle in Bewegung setzen, Himmel und Erde in Bewegung setzen
- Himmel und Hölle in Bewegung setzento go to extreme lengths
- Himmel und Erde in Bewegung setzento go to extreme lengths
Greek κινώ γη και ουρανό
- κινώ γη και ουρανό (kinó gi kai ouranó)to go to extreme lengths
Hungarian eget-földet megmozgat
- eget-földet megmozgatto go to extreme lengths
Italian muovere cielo e terra
- muovere cielo e terrato go to extreme lengths
Polish poruszać niebo i ziemię, poruszyć niebo i ziemię
- poruszać niebo i ziemięto go to extreme lengths
- poruszyć niebo i ziemięto go to extreme lengths
Portuguese fazer das tripas coração
- fazer das tripas coraçãoto go to extreme lengths
Russian сде́лать всё возмо́жное, приложи́ть все уси́лия
- сде́лать всё возмо́жное (sdélatʹ vsjo vozmóžnoje)to go to extreme lengths
- приложи́ть все уси́лия (priložítʹ vse usílija)to go to extreme lengths
Spanish mover cielo y tierra, mover Roma con Santiago
- mover cielo y tierrato go to extreme lengths
- mover Roma con Santiagoto go to extreme lengths
Swedish röra upp himmel och jord
- röra upp himmel och jordto go to extreme lengths
Turkish çalmadık kapı bırakmamak
- çalmadık kapı bırakmamakto go to extreme lengths
Cite this entry
move heaven and earth. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/move%20heaven%20and%20earth
“move heaven and earth.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/move%20heaven%20and%20earth. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “move heaven and earth,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/move%20heaven%20and%20earth.
Source: move heaven and earth on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.