nose to the grindstone

短语

词形变化

noses to grindstones noses to the grindstone 复数 noses to the grindstone noses to grindstones 复数

释义与例句

n.
  1. 1.

    Used to form idioms meaning "to force someone to work hard or to focus intensely upon their work".

    习语 废旧

    This Text holdeth their noses so hard to the grynde stone that it clean disfigureth their faces.

    I shall to reuenge former hurts, Hold their noses to grinstone.

  2. 2.

    Used to form idioms meaning "to force oneself to work hard or to focus intensely upon one's work".

    习语
adv.
  1. 1.

    Hard at work.

    习语

    Nose to the grindstone, he was up all night.

词源

From the literal action of intensely working a grindstone, whether powered by a treadle or waterwheel. The expression initially implied punishment or abusive management, forcing the worker into intense work, and was used in the anonymous translation (1557) of Erasmus's Merry Dialogue as a hyperbolic punishment threatened for an abusive husband. It was later adapted to forcing oneself into similarly intense effort.

来源：wiktionary