Hell or high water

Posted by ESC July 31, 2010 at 16:04In reply to Hell or high water posted by Victoria S Dennis on July 30, 2010 at 15:18:

Where does the phrase "Come hell or high water!" come from?

According to Michael Quinion at World Wide Words, who is usually reliable, it appears to come from 19th-century Western cattle-driving. See here: www.worldwidewords.org/ qa/qa-com1.htm. (VSD)

Along the same lines as "Good Lord willin' and the creek don't rise." High water can impede travel and wreck the best of plans.