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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.

See Examples For:

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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