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nose to the grindstone

Cultural  
  1. To work extremely hard: “Emily takes her bar exam next month, so she really has her nose to the grindstone.”


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.

If she works hard, keeps her nose to the grindstone, and remains diligent, within a few years she might even find herself making six figures.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 27, 2024

“It’s just about keeping your nose to the grindstone, and when the opportunities find you, seize every moment — every opportunity you get.”

From Seattle Times • Nov. 9, 2023

I kept my nose to the grindstone, as they say.

From New York Times • Oct. 4, 2022

“There’s a lot of people who still have need, and that’s why we’ve still got our nose to the grindstone, but this is a significant indicator of progress,” Poyo said.

From Washington Post • Feb. 24, 2022

No, now that he had arrived, he must keep his nose to the grindstone.

From "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie

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