to work one's fingers to the bone

Examples

• All

• He's worked his fingers to the bone to make this place what it is.

  And Now for Something Completely Different (1971)

• My "Sam" had to work so hard that he seldom saw our children, and I worked my fingers to the bone so that I could be home with our children, several of whom have special needs and need one-on-one care.

  Blog text (4)

• I had to work my fingers to the bone; I had to worry about where your next meal was coming from.

  Fiction book (1992)

• You must work your fingers to the bone, just to get the tea roses like that.

  Fiction book (1999)

• 52 weeks, all year, every year, I'll work my fingers to the bone.

  Gypsy (1993)

• He's working his fingers to the bone.

  Brokedown Palace (1999)

• He worked his fingers to the bone for every dollar that he earned.

  The Amazing Floydini (2004)

• If you are working your fingers to the bone for close to minimum wage, going back to school can help you realize your full earning potential.

  Blog text (17)

• While I disagree, I can't quite condemn people for turning inward when they're working longer and harder for less and less, barely scraping by while working their fingers to the bone, watching any hope of the American Dream fade before their eyes.

  Blog text (26)

• I left home when I was five, and I've worked my fingers to the bone to try to make something of myself.

Synonyms

T

to toil

vsto work one's fingers to the bone

35 5.3

To work very hard for a long time

highlights extreme, often exhausting effort especially in physical tasks

W

to work one's ass off

vsto work one's fingers to the bone

• Offensive

13 8.4

Try very hard for a long time to do something

uses a more vivid bodily-image phrase emphasizing severe physical exhaustion

W

to work like a dog

vsto work one's fingers to the bone

• Informal

8 3.4

Spend a lot of time doing hard, tiring tasks

adds stronger idea of working until complete exhaustion for the same aim

H

to hammer away at

vsto work one's fingers to the bone

• Informal

5 4.8

To work hard for a long time on something

stresses physical exhaustion and complete wear from very hard labor

K

to knuckle down

vsto work one's fingers to the bone

• Informal

4 4.5

To start working hard after not doing much before

is about sustained extreme effort leading to exhaustion rather than just starting

N

nose to the grindstone

vsto work one's fingers to the bone

• Informal

3 6.3

To work hard for a long time without stopping

adds stronger physical exhaustion and extreme bodily strain to that persistence

W

to work like crazy

vsto work one's fingers to the bone

• Informal

3 4.8

Try very hard for some time

leans more toward physical exhaustion as the end result

K

to keep one's nose to the grindstone

vsto work one's fingers to the bone

• Informal

1 7.7

To work hard for a long time on a difficult task without stopping

is more about extreme physical exhaustion rather than steady persistent effort

W

to work to the bone

vsto work one's fingers to the bone

• Informal

6.0

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

is the longer, more personal idiom for the same extreme exhaustion

B

to break one's back

vsto work one's fingers to the bone

• Informal

6.0

To work very hard at something until you are very tired

stresses hard effort with a vivid image of personal bodily exhaustion

T

to toiling

vsto work one's fingers to the bone

6.1

To work very hard doing physical or unpleasant jobs for a long time

focuses more on very hard effort aimed at exhaustion rather than duration

T

twenty-five/eight

vsto work one's fingers to the bone

• Informal

9.9

Working all the time without rest

focuses more on physical exhaustion from hard labor rather than continuous busyness

Antonyms

T

to take it easy

• Informal

572 2.5

Relax and avoid doing too much or worrying

How Hard

to slave

47 5.3

to work one's fingers to the bone

• Informal

4 7.4

hard work

355 1.6

work

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology