DEFINITIONS

glutton for punishment

Someone who habitually takes on burdensome or unpleasant tasks or unreasonable amounts of work. For example, Rose agreed to organize the church fair for the third year in a row—she's a glutton for punishment. This expression originated as a glutton for work in the late 1800s, punishment being substituted about a century later.

Content related to glutton for punishment

Negative Or Positive Reinforcement: Which Is Better?Whether positive reinforcement or negative reinforcement is better all depends on the situation and the personality of the receiving person.
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Fancy Words For Everyday ActivitiesHumming (is so boring) Yet, bombinating sounds much more interesting! This word may sound a bit like bumblebee, which is kind of neat as it means “to hum, or buzz.” First published in the late 1800s, bombinate and bombilate are twins with family-tree roots tangled in both Greek and Latin derivatives (confusing) that lead to the late Latin bombilāre, or “to hum.” Breathing (is so …
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Words nearby glutton for punishment

glutinant, glutinous, glutitis, glutose, glutton, glutton for punishment, gluttonize, gluttonous, gluttony, gly, glyburide
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.