Have you been working hard on your
English lately? Well if you have I have 20 incredibly hard-working idioms that
you can use to describe hard work. Let's go! Hello everyone, Anna here from
englishlikeanative.com, the website with courses for all levels of English, and a community to keep
you motivated and engaged. Now let's get to work. Back/nose to the grindstone
To return to/start a hard tedious task. Right, that’s my break over, I had
better get back to the grindstone. Be on a roll
Experiencing a period of success or good luck. We signed up two new clients last
week and 4 new clients this week, with 3 more in the pipeline. We are on a roll. Be snowed under
Be overwhelmed with a very large quantity of work (or commitments).
I’m so sorry I missed the teacher’s meeting today, with the exams around the corner and several members of staff self isolating I’m
completely snowed under at the moment. Bend over backwards To work extra hard to help
someone or to make them happy. I don’t understand why he continues to bend over
backwards for Julia, she doesn’t appreciate it. Blood, sweat, and tears
If something needs blood, sweat, and tears then it is hard thing to do and requires a lot of effort.
We spent 15 years building this business, it took blood, sweat and tears
to make it what it is today. Burning a candle at both ends
To work too hard as well as trying to do other things.
My boss had a nervous breakdown last month, it’s not surprising, he was burning the
candle at both ends for many months. Get cracking
Get started on a project or task. Right, do we all know what we are supposed
to be doing? Great, let’s get cracking. Give it 110% Try really hard to achieve something.
I know that you are all tired, it’s really hot outside, and you would rather
be relaxing in the shade eating ice-cream but today is a very important day for our school so
I want you to get out there and give it 110%. Go the extra mile
To do more than what is expected to make something happen, or help someone.
We have decided to promote Nick. He went the extra mile for us during the pandemic
and really showed us his commitment. Hang in there
Don’t give up. Keep going through the hard times. The next few months will be hard for all of
us, just hang in there, things will improve. Jump through hoops
Go through an elaborate or complicated procedure in
order to achieve an objective. We are in the process of applying for a mortgage,
but we have to jump through so many hoops. Knuckle/buckle down
To focus and work diligently on a task or problem If you all knuckle down and do your revision
between now and the exams then you will pass with flying colours.
Make up for lost time
To do something as much as possible because you were not able to do it before. To catch up.
I haven’t seen my family for over two years, so we are going to go on holiday together,
we really need to make up for lost time. Move mountains
Make every possible effort, doing
the impossible if needed. Trust me, I will move mountains to make sure
that you are satisfied with your new branding. No pain no gain Suffering is necessary in
order to achieve something. The athletes are complaining about having
to train on a Sunday, but no pain no gain. Pull one’s own weight
To do your fair share of work that a group of people is doing together.
James, you have taken a lot of time off this month and when you have been in you haven’t done very
much work. We are all working hard to reach our deadline, so we need you to start pulling your
own weight otherwise we will have to let you go. Raise the bar Raise the standards which need to be
met in order to qualify for something. Apple have really raised the
bar with their latest iPhone. Stay ahead of the game
To react quickly and gain/keep an advantage. We are changing our marketing strategy, advertising will now include TikTok.
We must stay ahead of the game. Stay the course
To keep going strongly to the end of a race or contest or task.
We have been working with this client for 12 months on this project, we plan to
stay the course and get the job done. Take the bull by the horns To deal decisively with a
difficult or dangerous situation. I’ve asked him several times but he
ignores me. I must take the bull by the horns and tell my landlord that I am moving
out unless he fixes the central heating. To take the bull by the horns. This means to
deal decisively with a difficult or dangerous situation. I've asked him several times but
he just ignores me. I must take the bull by the horns and just tell my landlord that I'm
moving out unless he fixes the central heating. There you go 20 idioms for working
hard. Now if you are a hard worker and you're motivated to improve
your English then why not join me and other motivated students in the
ELAN (English Like A Native) community on one of the ELAN courses. Head over to
Englishlikeanative.com to find out more!
