leave (something) on the table
v. phr.— «(Fear of concussions) was a factor in retiring, but not the overriding factor.…I always wanted to leave something on the table. And when I retired, I always wanted to remember what I left on the table. I didn’t want anything jiggling around inside.» —“Moon: Trouble ahead?” USA Today Nov. 18, 1992. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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Is there something inherent in English that makes it the linguistic equivalent of the Borg, dominating and consuming other languages in its path? No, not at all. The answer lies with politics and conquest rather than language itself. Plus: a new...