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heavy lifting

American  
[hev-ee lif-ting] / ˈhɛv i ˈlɪf tɪŋ /

noun

Informal.
  1. hard work.

    A team of researchers did the heavy lifting for the author.


Etymology

Origin of heavy lifting

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Ultra-powerful quantum processors will do much of the heavy lifting in hybrid systems, which combine classical and quantum computing.

From Barron's

The defense did most of the heavy lifting from there, holding Oregon at arm’s length until the fourth quarter, when the Ducks flew out in front, dealing the Trojans another loss.

From Los Angeles Times

Many factories, including Tesla’s, rely on robotic arms to do heavy lifting or dangerous tasks like moving hot metal.

From The Wall Street Journal

The heavy lifting has already begun, in efforts to strengthen the traditional defense industrial base and shore up supply chains for semiconductors, rare earths and infrastructure.

From The Wall Street Journal

"The heavy lifting was more challenging than I initially thought."

From Science Daily