move the yardsticks

verb

To move the chains.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

verbmove the yardsticks (third-person singular simple present moves the yardsticks, present participle moving the yardsticks, simple past and past participle moved the yardsticks)

present singular third person moves the yardsticks · participle present moving the yardsticks · participle past moved the yardsticks · past moved the yardsticks

  1. American footballTo move the chains.
  2. idiomaticTo make progress, as used in political and corporate venues to express proactive actions.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
move the chains

Origin

The phrase originates from American football, where every ten yards of forward progress by the offense moves the yardsticks ahead to measure the next ten yards of progress.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

Source: move the yardsticks on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.