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The Arabic idiom 'I'll imprint with my ten fingers' is used to mean you don't just approve of something but you completely and utterly approve of it without a scintilla of doubt—you are in till the end. Used as a further confirmation and to cut all doubts. For example,

A: Are you with me or not?

B: of course I am and I'll imprint with my ten fingers [like documenting/validating something, when you give your fingerprint].

Are there any similar idioms in English?

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  • Where is that idiom from?
    – user66974
    Jul 28, 2015 at 21:29
  • From Arabic. @Josh61
    – mahpack
    Jul 28, 2015 at 21:30

6 Answers 6

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I'll stake my reputation on it

to risk harming one's reputation on someone or something.

from McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

Your idiom sounds like it's a reference to putting a fingerprint on something to prove one's identity when signing it. As in, I won't just do what's required (putting a thumbprint on the document), I'll go above and beyond to excessive lengths (put all ten of my fingerprints on it). I like this idiom as a translation because it captures the sense of putting one's legal identity behind the project. I like the lesser known variant, I'll stake my name on it, even better, but it barely passes the Google test which might make it too obscure. "You have my word" is another, similar idea.

For a much more direct translation:

to/until/till the bitter end

continuing until the end of a particular situation or period of time, even though it is difficult or unpleasant She remained loyal to her husband to the bitter end.

from MacMillan Dictionary

This implies that you will stay with something or continue working on it even if everything goes wrong. Note, saying this doesn't imply that you expect things to go wrong, just that you would persevere if they did.

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In my neck of the woods (Midwestern United States), we don't really use fingerprints to document/validate.

The closest to your original meaning I can think of is I'd put my name on it. It basically means that I back something enough that I'm willing to be publicly recognized/accountable for it.

Another, less strong, phrase is dotted line, which refers to the signature line in a contract. Someone who states "just show me the dotted line" or "show me where to sign" means they are ready and willing to "sign up" for whatever you are asking.

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Are you with me or not?

Of course I am and I'll back you to the hilt.

Google ngram: back * to the hilt

to back someone [up]

verb

1 [with object] Give financial, material, or moral support to: ‘he had a newspaper empire backing him’

‘his mother backed him up on everything’

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/back



to the hilt

http://www.innovateus.net/innopedia/what-does-phrase-hilt-mean

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"I'll sign in blood"

This idiom can be used as a hyperbolic, over-the-top way of signifying your total agreement, support, and ownership of a decision.

It recalls the idea of blood oaths and other very solemn commitments.

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Take my word for it can convey the same meaning:

  • Believe me. Trust me, I am telling you the truth.

    • Are you with me or not? Of course, you can take my word for it, trust me.

The Free Dictionary

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  • I was hemming and hawing about including this in my answer, but it doesn't really convey the same gravitas as "I'll imprint with my ten fingers". (Which is a phrase that's growing on me, I wish we did fingerprint stuff where I live.)
    – VampDuc
    Jul 28, 2015 at 21:48
  • I think it does, your word is very important, like an oath.
    – user66974
    Jul 28, 2015 at 21:52
  • I'm in IT. If I had a dollar for every person who "gives me their word" that, yes, it is plugged in, I'd be rich. I agree, the phrase "I give you my word" does imply something like an oath. In practice, it's sometimes just a phrase and has lost its value of late. And seeing that the OP was asking after a foreign phrase, I didn't want to add a phrase that isn't always taken literally.
    – VampDuc
    Jul 28, 2015 at 21:58
  • Arabic is a rich language.. :)
    – mahpack
    Jul 28, 2015 at 22:01
  • I am not in IT, and I think if you give your word you really want to be trusted. This as any other expression regarding 'trust' may be misused and abused.
    – user66974
    Jul 28, 2015 at 22:01
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"My word is my bond."

From Cambridge Dictionaries Online:

If someone's word is their bond, they always keep a promise.

Sir Roger Moore titled his autobiography 'My Word is my Bond' for obvious reasons.

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  • 1
    Of course, in the US "my word is my bond" is more often used sarcastically.
    – Hot Licks
    Aug 13, 2015 at 11:20

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