put one's money where one's mouth is

present singular third person puts one's money where one's mouth is · participle present putting one's money where one's mouth is · participle past put one's money where one's mouth was · past put one's money where one's mouth was

1. To make or take a bet.
2. idiomaticTo take an obvious stake in the truth of a claim that one is making.

   "We've put money towards it and it's up to government to put the money where its mouth is."

   2020 January 2, Graeme Pickering, “Fuelling the changes on Teesside rails”, in Rail, page 61

   1 more example

   "The scientists are right to be extremely cautious about interpreting these findings," said Jim Al-Khalili, a physicist from the University of Surrey, who suggested that a simple error in the measurement is probably the source of all the fuss..."So let me put my money where my mouth is: if the Cern experiment proves to be correct and neutrinos have broken the speed of light, I will eat my boxer shorts on live TV."

   2011 September 23, Jason Palmer, “Light speed: Flying into fantasy”, in BBC News