" pull out all the stops "

 [ "Pull out all the stops" ]

1: To go all out.

  * e.g.,  ... Say you really wanted to impress your girlfriend, and you wanted to pull out all the stops, on would buy flowers, make her dinner, clean the house, sprinkle the bed with petals, light candles. 

 [ "pulled out all the stops" ]

1: Went "all out", or tried as hard as possible to please or impress. To spare no expense. to do everything you can to make something successful

  * e.g.,  ... They pulled out all the stops for their anniversary party. 

 [ "pulled out all the stops" ]

2: most likely source: The stops are handles on an organ (= a large instrument used in churches), which you pull out when you want to play as loudly as possible.

  * e.g.,  ... The hotel certainly pulled out all the stops to impress us. 

 [ "pulling out all the stops" ]

1: Something someone does sometimes to delay doing the right thing for as long as he can, for whatever reason.

  * e.g.,  ... My friend is pulling out all the stops, as long as he doesn't have to do the right thing, really the only thing, which is to call me, his old friend, and stop playing this game with me.