To the hilt?

Reader question:

Please explain this passage, with “to the hilt” in particular:

The prime minister backed him to the hilt. It’s a shame it wasn’t reciprocated.

My comments:

The prime minister supported (backed) him (whoever that is) without reserve. He, on the other hand, did not exactly return the favor. He did not back the prime minister in the same manner, i.e. fully and completely. That is a pity (shame), something regrettable, to put it mildly.

“To the hilt”, by the way, means to the greatest extent, as much as possible.

“Hilt” in “to the hilt” refers to the handle of a sword or long knife. “To the hilt” literally means that the sword or knife is pushed deep into, say, an enemy’s flesh, all the way to the hilt.

In that case, of course, you’ve done your very best to kill or to inflict the greatest pain or injury to the said enemy. You’ve done your utmost as the sword or knife cannot possibly go any deeper.

Hence, figuratively, when people use “to the hilt” in other situations than swordplay or hitting someone with a knife, they mean to express the idea of giving their all, as much as possible.

The figurative use of the “to the hilt” was first recorded in 1687, according to Dictionary.com. In other words, it’s been around for a long time. And, judging from its widespread use today, it looks like “to the hilt” is here to stay.

So, in short, this is a vivid and good expression to learn, and a phrase you want to put to good use in your own writing.

But before all that, you must fully understand “to the hilt”.

Fully, that is, and to the hilt.

And reading some media examples should certainly help. Here are a few:

1. Unai Emery has everything he wants at Aston Villa.

The staff, the authority, the supportive owners who back him to the hilt, even helping to organise a regular charter flight from Birmingham to Spain that Emery books and pays for himself whenever he wants to take a trip home.

As exclusively reported in The Athletic on Tuesday, Villa have opted to reward Emery by triggering the clause in his contract to extend his current deal until 2027 before intending to sit down in the summer to extend terms further.

Emery’s extension comes against the backdrop of speculation linking him to the looming vacancy at Germany’s Champions League semi-finalists and serial title winners Bayern Munich. Only on Sunday was the 52-year-old Spaniard asked about the reports.

“I am focused here, 100 per cent,” Emery said.

Sources, like others in this article, speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect relationships say Emery’s decision to commit his future to Villa, who are fourth in the Premier League with four games to go and on track for a first Champions League qualification since they were the old European Cup’s defending champions in 1982, is demonstrative of the close relationship forged with the club’s co-owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens. Both sides share a level of excitement about what Villa can achieve under Emery, believing all the key decision-makers are aligned in their thinking.

Edens and Sawiris want Emery’s tenure, which began in October 2022, to replicate the authority and longevity Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson had at the start of the Premier League era with Arsenal and Manchester United respectively. And, most importantly, Emery feels the same.

It is why, fundamentally, reports of a summer switch to Bayern were deemed extremely unlikely. Bayern do not tend to cede power to a manager or give them the type of authority and permit the number of aides Emery would want. They also have publicly-facing, and speaking, executives in what would be closer to the setup he experienced in 18 months as Wenger’s successor at Arsenal from 2018-19 than the one at Villa.

…

It is not fanciful that the club hope Emery builds a dynasty at Villa Park. This contract extension is the latest demonstration of such belief.

- Aston Villa want Unai Emery to build a dynasty – his new contract shows the feeling’s mutual, NYTimes.com, April 24, 2024.

2. Business leaders last night rounded on the Prime Minister over his claim that he is backing them “to the hilt” as grim figures laid bare the pressures firms face.

Keir Starmer told bosses at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) conference in London that Labour had “stabilised the economy” as he hailed his trade deals with the US and India.

But his speech came amid gloomy economic data and rebellion among backbench MPs that threatened to derail Labour’s fiscal plans.

The Office for National Statistics yesterday revealed that 17 per cent of businesses have run out of cash – the worst figure since the pandemic.

Separate figures from the Confederation of British Industry showed retail sales falling this month at the fastest pace since January 2024 – the ninth consecutive month of decline.

And in a speech at the BCC following Starmer’s appearance, Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey said firms across the country were slashing jobs and wages after Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ National Insurance (NI) hike.

Meanwhile, a leading economist warned that Starmer must face down Labour rebels by cutting welfare spending – or ministers will have to choose between a further tax raid or bond market turmoil.

Starmer told the conference: “We’ve stabilised the economy, and now we can go on to the next phase of government, building on that foundation, building a future of renewal that you can feel.

“And that means, of course, that we have to back you to the hilt – trust me, I’m fighting for you.”

But Pimlico Plumbers founder Charlie Mullins said: “I can’t believe Starmer has the brass neck to stand in front of hundreds of struggling business owners and tell them he’s on their side. It’s only been a year and Labour’s vicious NI hike and tax increases aimed at wealth creators have battered businesses.”

…

Karl Mason, a spokesman for distillery trade group the UK Spirits Alliance, blasted Starmer’s trade deal boast as a “nonsense narrative”.

“The punishing tax burden we face at home makes it virtually impossible to invest in export growth. Without reform to our domestic tax regime, talk of trade deals is meaningless,” he said.

- Bosses hit out at Starmer’s ‘nonsense’ that Labour has ‘stabilised the economy’, ThisIsMoney.co.uk, June 27, 2025.

3. A man faces a federal assault charge for allegedly throwing a sandwich at a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent near 14th and U streets NW Sunday night.

The agent was part of a group patrolling D.C. this week after President Donald Trump said he would fight what he called “out-of-control” crime in the District.

A bystander posted pictures on Instagram that allegedly show the incident from over the weekend, with the sandwich circled in red.

A man in a pink shirt, identified by D.C. police as 37-year-old Sean Dunn, allegedly approached a group of CBP agents and called one of them a “fascist,” a police affidavit said.

According to the affidavit, Dunn pointed a finger in an agent’s face, swore at him for several minutes, and said, “Why are you here? I don’t want you in my city!”

The bystander’s video of a man throwing a sandwich at the agent, which went viral on social media, is mentioned in the affidavit.

Dunn then tried to run away, the affidavit says, but agents stopped and arrested him. He now faces a felony assault charge. Online court records do not list an attorney for Dunn.

U.S. attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro posted a video response on social media.

“He thought it was funny,” Pirro said in the video posted to X. “Well, he doesn’t think it’s funny today because we charged him with a felony. And we’re gonna back the police to the hilt! So, there. Stick your Subway sandwich somewhere else.”

- Man faces federal assault charge for throwing sandwich at CBP officer on U Street, NBCWashington.com, August 14, 2025.

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About the author:

Zhang Xin is Trainer at chinadaily.com.cn. He has been with China Daily since 1988, when he graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University. Write him at: zhangxin@chinadaily.com.cn, or raise a question for potential use in a future column.

（作者：张欣）