elbow grease

American  

noun

1. strenuous physical exertion.

   a job requiring elbow grease.

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elbow grease British  

noun

1. facetious vigorous physical labour, esp hard rubbing

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elbow grease Cultural  

1. Strenuous physical effort: “If you're going to get this job done, you'll need to apply a little elbow grease.”

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elbow grease Idioms  

1. Strenuous physical effort, as in You'll have to use some elbow grease to get the house painted in time. This term alludes to vigorous use of one's arm in cleaning, polishing, or the like. It soon was extended to any kind of hard work, and Anthony Trollope used it still more figuratively (Thackeray, 1874): “Forethought is the elbow-grease which a novelist ... requires.” [First half of 1600s]

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Etymology

Origin of elbow grease

First recorded in 1630–40

Example Sentences

The most important thing is to keep your money working for you as hard as it possibly can — and for that, you need to apply some elbow grease to keep it moving.

From MarketWatch • May 11, 2026

It says that the government’s proper role is to clear a path so those who put in the elbow grease can earn success.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 20, 2025

In ‘99% Perspiration,’ data and stories illustrate the roots and consequences of a very American dilemma: the belief that old-fashioned elbow grease will get you anywhere you want to go.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 4, 2025

Removing a popcorn ceiling can be messy and tedious, but with proper planning, safety precautions and some elbow grease, you can transform an outdated texture and reveal a clean, smooth surface.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 2, 2024

International economists often describe South Korea as the single most impressive example of what free markets, democratic government, and elbow grease can do to transform a small agrarian backwater into a global powerhouse.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden