fire on all cylinders

== English == === Alternative forms === hit on all cylinders === Etymology === In reference to an internal combustion engine, in which using all cylinders allows the engine to operate most effectively. === Pronunciation === === Verb === fire on all cylinders (third-person singular simple present fires on all cylinders, present participle firing on all cylinders, simple past and past participle fired on all cylinders) (idiomatic) To operate as effectively as possible. Synonym: hit on all six ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ==== Internal combustion engine on Wikipedia.Wikipedia