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Reader question: Please explain “foxhole mentality” in this sentence: “In my opinion Jimmy and Gregory have the foxhole mentality.” My comments: Here, the speaker likens Jimmy and Gregory to soldiers in battle and commends them for having the fighting spirit that’s needed for success. Put another way, Jimmy and Gregory have the mindset of soldiers fighting in a foxhole. They trust each other and have each other’s back. All you need do is understand what a foxhole is. A foxhole is the hole in ground where a fox lives. During the First World War of 1914-18, the holes soldiers dug in the ground to fire shots and hide from enemy fire also became known as foxholes, and this is where we get the foxhole mentality from. When soldiers get in the foxhole, therefore, they know what they’re doing, fighting a life and death battle with an enemy. Hence, in business and sports, when people borrow that expression and say so-and-so has that foxhole mentality, it means this person takes the situation seriously and is willing to give their all, risking everything. Well, risking everything is a bit far, perhaps. I get that from the fact that soldiers in a foxhole are risking their lives but in everyday life, people are not usually risking their lives while they go about their daily business. Therefore, don’t take it literally when I say they’re risking everything. | 
