elbow grease

Meaning: Hard physical work, especially scrubbing or polishing.

Language: English

Literally: (Already vivid in English)

Example: “A bit of elbow grease will get that stain out.”

Category: Body & Senses

Origin: A joke, as if the effort from one's arms were a kind of polish. It is found from the 17th century.

Equivalents in other languages

have a heavy heart — To feel sad or burdened.
in one's heart of hearts — In one's deepest private feelings.
an old hand — Someone with long experience at something.
a low blow — An unfair or cruel attack.
it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye — Rough play may seem harmless but can end in injury.
a dab hand — Someone very skilled at something.

not mince one's words — To speak frankly, even bluntly.
promise the moon — To promise something impossible to deliver.
thick and fast — Rapidly and in large numbers.
Indian summer — A period of warm weather in autumn; also a late, happy period in life.
one thing led to another — A series of events happened, each causing the next, often with a hint that something emba…
Ariadne's thread — Something that guides one through a complicated problem.

The finest shoe often hurts the foot. — Beauty and perfection in appearance frequently come at the cost of comfort and practical…
Every man will shoot at the enemy, but few will go to fetch the shaft. — Courage in battle is common; the difficult work of recovery and preparation afterward sep…
Keep thy shop, and thy shop will keep thee. — Diligent tending to one's business creates reliable security and sustenance for the propr…