From “bringing home the bacon” to “working your fingers to the bone,” we’re about to unravel the stories behind these phrases. So, buckle up and let’s embark on this idiom-filled journey!
Idioms for Work
Bring Home the Bacon
Meaning: To earn a living or to be successful.
In a Sentence: After years of hard work, she finally landed that big promotion, bringing home the bacon in style.
On the Clock
Meaning: Working and being paid for it.
In a Sentence: We’re on the clock now, so let’s hustle and get this project wrapped up before the deadline.
Break a Sweat
Meaning: To work hard or put in a lot of effort.
In a Sentence: He had to break a sweat to meet the demanding client expectations, but the result was worth the effort.
Bite Off More Than You Can Chew
Meaning: To take on more tasks or responsibilities than you can handle.
In a Sentence: I might have bitten off more than I can chew by agreeing to lead both projects simultaneously.
Burn the Midnight Oil
Meaning: To work late into the night.
In a Sentence: To meet the tight deadline, the team had to burn the midnight oil and put in extra hours.
Get the Ball Rolling
Meaning: To start a project or task.
In a Sentence: The manager’s motivational speech helped get the ball rolling on the new initiative.
Hit the Ground Running
Meaning: To start a job or task with energy and enthusiasm.
In a Sentence: The new employee impressed everyone by hitting the ground running and completing the onboarding tasks swiftly.
Jump on the Bandwagon
Meaning: To join a popular or successful effort.
In a Sentence: When the trend caught on, everyone in the office wanted to jump on the bandwagon and try the new productivity app.
Keep Your Nose to the Grindstone
Meaning: To work hard and focus on your tasks.
In a Sentence: She achieved success by keeping her nose to the grindstone, consistently delivering high-quality work.
Put in Overtime
Meaning: To work longer than your usual hours.
In a Sentence: To meet the project deadline, the team decided to put in overtime for the next few weeks.
Roll Up Your Sleeves
Meaning: To get ready to work hard or get your hands dirty.
In a Sentence: Before tackling the complex problem, let’s roll up our sleeves and brainstorm some innovative solutions.
The Early Bird Catches the Worm
Meaning: To be successful, you need to start early.
In a Sentence: In the competitive industry, the early bird catches the worm, securing the best opportunities.
The Show Must Go On
Meaning: To continue with a task or project despite difficulties or setbacks.
In a Sentence: Despite facing technical glitches, the team decided the show must go on, and they delivered a flawless presentation.
Under the Gun
Meaning: To be under a lot of pressure or to have a tight deadline.
In a Sentence: With the client meeting just hours away, the team was under the gun to finalize the presentation.
Work Like a Dog
Meaning: To work very hard and tirelessly.
In a Sentence: Despite the challenges, she continued to work like a dog, determined to achieve her goals.
Piece of Cake
Meaning: A task that is easy to do.
In a Sentence: Compared to the previous project, this one is a piece of cake – a breeze to complete.
Cost an Arm and a Leg
Meaning: To be very expensive.
In a Sentence: Owning that luxurious office space may look impressive, but it certainly cost them an arm and a leg.
Easy as Pie
Meaning: A task that is very easy to do.
In a Sentence: Navigating the new software turned out to be easy as pie, thanks to the user-friendly interface.
Bend Over Backwards
Meaning: To make a lot of effort to do something.
In a Sentence: The team was willing to bend over backwards to accommodate the client’s last-minute requests.
Cut Corners
Meaning: To do something in a cheaper or quicker way, but possibly of lower quality.
In a Sentence: In an attempt to meet the tight budget, they had to cut corners, compromising on some features.
Get Your Hands Dirty
Meaning: To do hard or dirty work.
In a Sentence: To truly understand the process, sometimes you have to get your hands dirty and experience it firsthand.
In the Same Boat
Meaning: To be in the same situation as someone else.
In a Sentence: Facing the challenges together, they realized they were all in the same boat and needed to collaborate for success.
Jumping Through Hoops
Meaning: To go through a lot of effort or difficulties to do something.
In a Sentence: Securing the necessary approvals involved jumping through hoops, but it was worth it in the end.
Kill Two Birds with One Stone
Meaning: To do two things at the same time and save time and effort.
In a Sentence: By addressing both issues in a single meeting, they managed to kill two birds with one stone.
Pull Out All the Stops
Meaning: To do everything you can to achieve something.
In a Sentence: To ensure the project’s success, they decided to pull out all the stops and bring in additional resources.
Take It Easy
Meaning: To relax or not work too hard.
In a Sentence: After a hectic week, it’s time to take it easy and recharge for the challenges ahead.
Thick and Thin
Meaning: Through good times and bad.
In a Sentence: True friends and reliable colleagues stick with you through thick and thin, supporting you in every situation.
Top of the Heap
Meaning: To be the most important or successful person.
In a Sentence: With consistent hard work, she climbed to the top of the heap, becoming the go-to person in her department.
Up to Your Ears
Meaning: To have a lot of work or tasks to do.
In a Sentence: With back-to-back meetings and deadlines looming, she was up to her ears in work but determined to deliver.
Work Your Fingers to the Bone
Meaning: To work very hard and exhaustively.
In a Sentence: To meet the project’s demands, they had to work their fingers to the bone, but the results spoke for themselves.
Summary
| Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Bring Home the Bacon | To earn a living or be successful | After years of hard work, she finally brought home the bacon. |
| On the Clock | Working and being paid for it | We’re on the clock now, so let’s hustle and meet the deadline. |
| Break a Sweat | To work hard or put in a lot of effort | He had to break a sweat to meet the demanding client expectations. |
| Bite Off More Than You Can Chew | To take on more tasks or responsibilities than you can handle | I might have bitten off more than I can chew by leading both projects. |
| Burn the Midnight Oil | To work late into the night | To meet the tight deadline, the team burned the midnight oil. |
| Get the Ball Rolling | To start a project or task | The manager’s speech helped get the ball rolling on the new initiative. |
| Hit the Ground Running | To start a job or task with energy and enthusiasm | The new employee impressed everyone by hitting the ground running. |
| Jump on the Bandwagon | To join a popular or successful effort | Everyone in the office wanted to jump on the bandwagon and try the new app. |
| Keep Your Nose to the Grindstone | To work hard and focus on your tasks | She achieved success by keeping her nose to the grindstone. |
| Put in Overtime | To work longer than your usual hours | To meet the project deadline, the team decided to put in overtime. |
| Roll Up Your Sleeves | To get ready to work hard or get your hands dirty | Let’s roll up our sleeves and brainstorm some innovative solutions. |
| The Early Bird Catches the Worm | To be successful, you need to start early | In the competitive industry, the early bird catches the worm. |
| The Show Must Go On | To continue with a task or project despite difficulties or setbacks | Despite technical glitches, the team decided the show must go on. |
| Under the Gun | To be under a lot of pressure or have a tight deadline | With the client meeting hours away, the team was under the gun. |
| Work Like a Dog | To work very hard and tirelessly | Despite the challenges, she continued to work like a dog. |
| Piece of Cake | A task that is easy to do | Compared to the previous project, this one is a piece of cake. |
| Cost an Arm and a Leg | To be very expensive | Owning that office space may look impressive, but it cost an arm and a leg. |
| Easy as Pie | A task that is very easy to do | Navigating the new software turned out to be easy as pie. |
| Bend Over Backwards | To make a lot of effort to do something | The team was willing to bend over backwards to accommodate requests. |
| Cut Corners | To do something in a cheaper or quicker way, possibly of lower quality | To meet the tight budget, they had to cut corners, compromising on features. |
| Get Your Hands Dirty | To do hard or dirty work | To truly understand the process, you have to get your hands dirty. |
| In the Same Boat | To be in the same situation as someone else | Facing challenges together, they realized they were all in the same boat. |
| Jumping Through Hoops | To go through a lot of effort or difficulties to do something | Securing approvals involved jumping through hoops, but it was worth it. |
| Kill Two Birds with One Stone | To do two things at the same time and save time and effort | By addressing both issues in a single meeting, they killed two birds with one stone. |
| Pull Out All the Stops | To do everything you can to achieve something | To ensure project success, they decided to pull out all the stops. |
| Take It Easy | To relax or not work too hard | After a hectic week, it’s time to take it easy and recharge. |
| Thick and Thin | Through good times and bad | True friends stick with you through thick and thin. |
| Top of the Heap | To be the most important or successful person | With consistent hard work, she climbed to the top of the heap. |
| Up to Your Ears | To have a lot of work or tasks to do | With meetings and deadlines, she was up to her ears in work. |
| Work Your Fingers to the Bone | To work very hard and exhaustively | To meet project demands, they worked their fingers to the bone. |
Conclusion:
And there you have it, folks! The vibrant tapestry of work idioms that color our professional lives. These expressions not only add spice to our conversations but also provide a glimpse into the challenges, victories, and camaraderie that define the workplace.