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Glite Dictionary
to work like a horse

to work like a horse

1 3.6
To use a lot of energy to do a hard job for a long time
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : trabajar como un caballo
  • She has been working like a horse to meet the project deadline.

Examples

  • They worked like horses all summer to finish the renovations on time.

  • She works like a horse, she treats people nice.

    Madea's Big Happy Family (2011)

  • Your father works all day like a horse supporting everybody...

    Radio Days (1987)

  • She's not getting paid and she's working like a horse, which doesn't make much sense to me.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • After the promotion, he now works like a horse to prove he deserves it.

Synonyms

to toil
vsto work like a horse
35 5.3

To work very hard for a long time

is the same strong effort but highlights energy over long duration
to labor
vsto work like a horse
  • US
26 2.7

To work hard on difficult physical tasks

focuses on strong effort and energy rather than harsh work conditions
to work one's ass off
vsto work like a horse
  • Offensive
13 8.4

Try very hard for a long time to do something

is similar but stresses effort and energy more than crude intensity
to work like a dog
vsto work like a horse
  • Informal
8 3.4

Spend a lot of time doing hard, tiring tasks

focuses on great effort and energy rather than endless endurance
to work like crazy
vsto work like a horse
  • Informal
3 4.8

Try very hard for some time

focuses on high energy rather than prolonged duration or strain
to put one's shoulder to the wheel
vsto work like a horse
  • Informal
2 7.5

To start working very hard to reach a goal

is general hard effort and energy, not specifically about beginning
to work to the bone
vsto work like a horse
  • Informal
6.0

To do very hard, long tasks until you are very tired

stresses great effort and energy rather than the resulting exhaustion
to keep one's shoulder to the wheel
vsto work like a horse
  • Informal
7.7

To work hard and continue when things are difficult

is more about strong effort and energy than steady persistence

Antonyms

to take it easy
  • Informal
572 2.5

Relax and avoid doing too much or worrying

to slack off
  • Informal
3 3.9

To become less strong or busy

How Hard

to slave
47 5.3
to work like crazy
  • Informal
3 4.8
to work like a horse
  • Informal
1 3.6
hard work
355 1.6
work
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

work like a horse infinitive
worked like a horse past
worked like a horse past participle
working like a horse present participle
works like a horse third person singular

Morphology

work + like + a + horse

This is a straightforward simile: combining 'work' + 'like' + 'horse' leads naturally to the idea of working as horses do (i.e., with great strength and effort). Such animal-based comparisons for hard work are common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words will very likely infer the meaning 'to work very hard.'

Etymology

The idiom work like a horse comes from old farms where a strong horse pulled heavy plows and carts all day. So, work like a horse means 'to work very hard'.