IdiomBody & Senses
English
Englishelbow grease
Meaning: Hard physical work, especially scrubbing or polishing.
Example: “A bit of elbow grease will get that stain out.”
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
French: L'huile de coude Literally: Elbow oil
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