elbow grease

noun

1. strenuous physical exertion.

   a job requiring elbow grease.

elbow grease

noun

1. facetious,  vigorous physical labour, esp hard rubbing

elbow grease

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of elbow grease¹

First recorded in 1630–40

Idioms and Phrases

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]

Example Sentences

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

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

A good fit for: Cooks who want a chemical-free pan that lasts—and don’t mind putting in a little elbow grease.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Once the sauce has considerably thickened up a bit and it takes some more elbow grease to run your whisk through it, add salt and another squeeze of lemon juice and taste.

Read more on Salon

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.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

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can be messy and tedious, but with proper planning, safety precautions and some elbow grease, you can transform an outdated texture and reveal a clean, smooth surface.

Read more on Seattle Times