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Glite Dictionary
to keep one's nose to the grindstone

to keep one's nose to the grindstone

1 7.7
To work hard for a long time on a difficult task without stopping
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : trabajar duro
  • To succeed in his studies, Jake realized he needed to keep his nose to the grindstone and focus on his assignments every day.
  • keep your nose to the grindstone

Examples

  • Keep to yourself, keep your nose to the grindstone when you're grinding, that is.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • You had to keep your nose to the grindstone and your shoulder to the wheel.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • You had to keep your nose to the grindstone and your shoulder to the wheel.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • My sonny-boy kept his nose to the grindstone, providing a future for me... ...and his daughter there.

    The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)

  • Keep your noses to the grindstone.

    The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)

  • Yes, Finch, if you work hard, keep your nose to the grindstone, there's no telling how far you can go with this company.

    How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967)

  • If you want to finish the project on time, you must keep your nose to the grindstone until it's done.

  • Samantha kept her nose to the grindstone during the long hours of work to ensure she met the deadline.

Synonyms

to grind
vsto keep one's nose to the grindstone
60 3.7

To work hard for a long time at a dull or repeated task

is continuous hard work but not limited to dull repetition
to work like a dog
vsto keep one's nose to the grindstone
  • Informal
8 3.4

Spend a lot of time doing hard, tiring tasks

is continuous hard work but may not imply poor reward or exhaustion
to plug away
vsto keep one's nose to the grindstone
  • Informal
6 5.2

To work slowly and steadily on a difficult task

is about continuous hard work without highlighting extra determination
to hammer away at
vsto keep one's nose to the grindstone
  • Informal
5 4.8

To work hard for a long time on something

is steady continuous work that may not stress extreme effort
to slog
vsto keep one's nose to the grindstone
5 6.7

To work hard for a long time on a task that is difficult or tiring

is continuous hard work but not specifically over long exhausting periods
to work one's fingers to the bone
vsto keep one's nose to the grindstone
  • Informal
4 7.4

Do very hard, long jobs until you are very tired

is continuous hard work but less extreme and not always physical
to put one's shoulder to the wheel
vsto keep one's nose to the grindstone
  • Informal
2 7.5

To start working very hard to reach a goal

is ongoing continuous effort rather than only starting to work hard
to grind away
vsto keep one's nose to the grindstone
  • Informal
1 6.3

Work hard for a long time on something, often before an exam or deadline

is steady continuous effort rather than brief intense bursts
to peg away
vsto keep one's nose to the grindstone
  • UK
8.6

To keep working for a long time on something difficult or boring

is continuous hard work but not focused on patient method
to keep one's shoulder to the wheel
vsto keep one's nose to the grindstone
  • Informal
7.7

To work hard and continue when things are difficult

is steady hard work in general rather than only during difficulty
to slug away at
vsto keep one's nose to the grindstone
  • Informal
6.3

To keep working hard on a difficult or long task

is hard continuous work but not necessarily heavy labor focus
to work to the bone
vsto keep one's nose to the grindstone
  • Informal
6.0

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

is regular continuous hard work without the extreme exhaustion implication

Antonyms

to slack off
  • Informal
3 3.9

To become less strong or busy

How Hardworking

to work to the bone
  • Informal
6.0
to keep one's nose to the grindstone
  • Informal
1 7.7
to work away
5 3.7
to take it easy
  • Informal
572 2.5

Surface Forms

keep one's nose to the grindstone infinitive
kept one's nose to the grindstone past
kept one's nose to the grindstone past participle
keeping one's nose to the grindstone present participle
keeps one's nose to the grindstone third person singular

Morphology

keep + one + nose + to + the + grindstone

The phrase relies on a metaphor (physically keeping one's nose close to a grindstone) so there is a partial, inferable relation to sustained effort; a learner who knows 'grindstone' could plausibly guess it involves working. However, the specific idiomatic sense 'to work hard and continuously' is not directly compositional and the cultural/metaphorical mapping is unpredictable for many learners, so prior exposure is usually needed.

Etymology

Keep one's nose to the grindstone may come from old workshops where workers bent close to a turning grindstone to sharpen tools, keeping their nose near the stone while they worked without stopping. So, it means 'to work hard and continuously'.