Meanings
present singular third person sinks or swims · participle present sinking or swimming · past sank or swam · participle past sunk or swum
- idiomaticTo succeed through one's own efforts without support, or else fail completely.
"Now, come, Pinto, we're all in this, sink or swim."
1920, Edgar Wallace, chapter 35, in Jack O' Judgment1 more example
"No matter, we are going, live or die, sink or swim; and I shall expect to meet you, all booted and spurred and fit for the fight, April first," said the unwavering Amanda.
1872, Louisa May Alcott, chapter 1, in Shawl-Straps
Origin
Possibly from the practice of throwing a suspected witch into water.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Dutch erop of eronder
- erop of eronderto fail or succeed, on a project attempted
Finnish mennä syteen tai saveen
- mennä syteen tai saveento fail or succeed, on a project attempted
French marche ou crève
- marche ou crèveto fail or succeed, on a project attempted
Polish wóz albo przewóz
- wóz albo przewózto fail or succeed, on a project attempted
Russian па́н и́ли пропа́л
- па́н и́ли пропа́л (pán íli propál)to fail or succeed, on a project attempted
Swedish bära eller brista
- bära eller bristato fail or succeed, on a project attempted
Vietnamese được ăn cả, ngã về không
- được ăn cả, ngã về khôngto fail or succeed, on a project attempted
Cite this entry
sink or swim. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sink%20or%20swim
“sink or swim.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sink%20or%20swim. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sink or swim,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sink%20or%20swim.
Source: sink or swim on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.