doozy of a challenge - Glite Dictionary

Examples

Completing the marathon in such hot weather was a doozy of a challenge for all the runners.
Rebuilding the old car was a doozy of a challenge, but she managed to finish it.
What a doozy of a challenge!
This project is a real doozy of a challenge!
Completing the marathon in such hot weather was a doozy of a challenge for all the runners.
Rebuilding the old car was a doozy of a challenge, but she managed to finish it.
The final exam turned out to be a real doozy of a challenge, stumping even the best students.

Synonyms

challenge

vsdoozy of a challenge

∞ 3.1

A difficult task that tests a person's skill and will

is a more extreme, standout instance of such a testing task

doozy

vsdoozy of a challenge

Informal

29 9.1

A thing that is very impressive or hard to deal with

is the same extreme and remarkable difficulty rather than ordinary hard tasks

tough job

vsdoozy of a challenge

29 3.4

A difficult task that needs a lot of effort

is a single remarkable difficulty rather than an enduring demanding role

uphill battle

vsdoozy of a challenge

Informal

25 6.6

A difficult task that needs a lot of effort to succeed

is extreme difficulty often notable for being exceptional rather than prolonged effort

tall order

vsdoozy of a challenge

Informal

16 6.9

A task that is very hard to do

is more exceptional and notable in difficulty than a hard request

tough going

vsdoozy of a challenge

Informal

4 5.3

A situation or task that is hard to do

is more exceptional and unusually difficult than routine hard effort

mission impossible

vsdoozy of a challenge

Informal

3 7.2

A task that is so difficult people think it cannot be done

means extremely hard but does not imply near impossibility

mammoth task

vsdoozy of a challenge

1 5.9

A very large and difficult job that needs a lot of time and effort

covers exceptional difficulty but is less focused on sheer size

deuce of a challenge

vsdoozy of a challenge

Archaic

9.8

A very difficult and frustrating task

emphasizes exceptional difficulty and impressiveness more than mere frustration

snorter

vsdoozy of a challenge

Slang

9.8

A very difficult problem or task that tests your skill

is equally extreme but more neutral than the informal tone

tuffy

vsdoozy of a challenge

Informal

8.8

A difficult task that needs a lot of effort

is more extreme and suggests an unusually large difficulty rather than casual hardship

leviathan of a challenge

vsdoozy of a challenge

9.1

A very large and difficult task that is hard to do

focuses on extreme difficulty in general, not only on great size

thorny challenge

vsdoozy of a challenge

7.4

A difficult problem that needs careful handling

is more extreme in difficulty and impressiveness than mere delicacy

knotty situation

vsdoozy of a challenge

7.7

A difficult problem with no easy solution

is more notable for exceptional difficulty than mere complexity

Antonyms

breeze

Informal

33 2.1

An easy thing to do

walk in the park

Informal

16 1.0

An easy task that needs little effort

How Difficult

doozy of a challenge

Informal

9.0

challenge

∞ 3.1

Surface Forms

doozy of a challenge singular

doozies of a challenge plural

Morphology

doozy + of + a + challenge

Given knowledge of the constituent 'doozy' (an impressive or difficult thing) and 'challenge' (a difficult task), the sense 'an extremely difficult or exceptional challenge' is directly derivable from combining them in the familiar 'doozy of a X' pattern. The phrase is colloquial but compositional—the determiner phrase 'of a' simply links the intensifier to the noun—so a B1 learner who knows the words would readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Doozy of a challenge comes from the word doozy, which one popular story says came from the name of a famous, very expensive car people called a 'Duesy' or 'doozy'. So, calling something a doozy of a challenge gives the picture of a challenge that is unusually big or hard, which is why it means 'a very difficult or exceptional challenge'.