VOCABULARY - IDIOMS
Idioms about work
Idioms about work
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a woman's work is never done
Meaning: The proverb a woman's work is never done means that a woman often works longer hours than a man because the housework and raising children are jobs that never end.
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all in a day's work
Meaning: What is normal, typical or expected.
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All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
Meaning: All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy is a proverb which means that it is not good to work all the time and that people may get bored if they don't get some time off from work.
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back to the salt mines
Meaning: If you go back to the salt mines, it means you have to return back to the workplace.
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bean counter
Meaning: An accountant.
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break your back
Meaning: If you break your back to do something, you work very hard to do it.
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burn candles at both ends
Meaning: If you burn candles at both ends, you work very hard, day and night.
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burn the midnight oil
Meaning: Work hard, especially late into the night.
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cold piece of work
Meaning: If someone is a cold piece of work they are difficult to deal with.
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devil finds work for idle hands to do
Meaning: People are inclined to do frivolous or harmful things to get rid of their boredom when they don't do anything useful.
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dirty work
Meaning: unpleasant work or dishonest action.
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do the dirty work
Meaning: The phrase do the dirty work means to do the disagreeable, illegal or dishonest things.
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get the sack
Meaning: to be dismissed from employment.
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gum up the works
Meaning: The phrase gum up the works means to prevent a process, a system or a machine from working smoothly.
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hustle and bustle
Meaning: A lot of busy and noisy activity
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keep up the good work
Meaning: encourage someone to continue doing well in their endeavors or tasks
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labor of love
Meaning: The phrase labor of love refers to a work that brings you great pleasure.
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shoot the works
Meaning: to spend all the money you have or to try as much as you can to do something.
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sweat blood
Meaning: to work very hard.
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work like a beaver
Meaning: To work like a beaver means to work very hard.
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work like a charm
Meaning: To be very effective or successful, often unexpectedly.
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work your fingers to the bone
Meaning: to work extremely hard.