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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.

“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

This wry observation provides the background to Thomas’s work ethic — nose to the grindstone, stay focused, and do what needs to be done.

From Washington Post • Dec. 15, 2022

"We’re still nose to the grindstone here and trying to find this individual, trying to bring the person to justice," D'Antuono said.

From Fox News • Jan. 5, 2022

Not to say we’re perfect or to say that I think it is easy, but I’ll just keep my nose to the grindstone and let the results speak for themselves.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 4, 2021

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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