EFFORT
ADJECTIVES
1538 ► OPEROUS made or done with much labour or effort; laborious, industrious, busy; painstaking, tedious; toilsome; elaborate → obs.
1656 ► MOLIMINOUS done with great effort or endeavour, laborious → obs.
1844 ► EASIE-OSIE → EASY-OSY → EASY-OZIE easygoing, inclined to be lazy; involving the minimum of effort → Sc.
1895 ► CUSHY of a job, situation, etc.: undemanding, easy; requiring little or no effort; later, involving little effort, but ample or disproportionate rewards → sl., orig. military usage
L19 ► ON A DEAD ONE making any pointless effort → sl.
ADVERBS
1970 ► FLATSTICK with great speed or effort → S. Afr. sl.
NOUNS
– BAIRGE forcible effort …1925 Sc.
– BEATENEST one’s best; one’s utmost effort …1907 Amer. dial.
– BLITZ a sudden great effort made …1960 sl.
– BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS all one’s effort or resources …World War II Amer. sl.
– BRAIN-SHED † expenditure of mental effort …1902
– BRASH an effort …Bk1911 Sc.
– CHICKEN SCRATCHING an inadequate effort; a poorly done job; a lack of real commitment to a task …1940s US Black sl.
– DART a try, a ‘go’; a last-minute effort …L19 Aust. sl.
– ETTLE an attempt, an effort, an endeavour, an aim, an intent …1839 Sc.
– ETTLING an effort, a strong endeavour …1883 Sc.
– FALDERAL wasted effort; also, mere nonsense
– FOLDEROL wasted effort; also, mere nonsense
– FULL TIT an all-out effort …1998 NZ sl.
– GUT-BUSTER something involving or requiring a large amount of effort or energy …1969 colloq.
– HAGGLE a struggle, a laborious effort; a fatiguing walk, owing to a burden, distance, etc. …1866 Sc.
– HEAVE AND SHOVE † great exertion or effort …1600
– HUSTLE effort, exertion, desire …1898 US sl.
– INDEAVERANCE an attempt; one’s utmost effort …Bk1900 Eng. dial.
– MAUGHT an effort …1898 Sc.
– MINT an aim, attempt at, effort, endeavour …1660 Sc. & Eng. dial. EDD Wright 1903
– MONEY FOR JAM something requiring little effort …1919 sl., orig. services’ usage
– MONEY FOR OLD ROPE something requiring little effort …1936 sl., orig. services’ usage
– NEVER-CEASING a continuous effort in one direction …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
– OFFER † an attempt, try, feint, a feeble effort, gesture …1581 now rare or obs.
– PAIN-TAKING † painstaking, assiduous effort; sometimes including the notion of enduring pain …1528
– PAN an attempt, an effort …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
– SWEAT something requiring great effort …1923 sl.
– TANT † the utmost exertion or effort …c1920 Sc.
– TEW a struggle, difficulty; a laboured effort; fatigue, trouble; an annoyance, a worry or fretting; a state of anxiety, nervous excitement, confusion, or impatience; a disturbed state …1864 Sc. & Eng. & Amer. dial.
– THRUST an effort …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
– TILTH † labour, work, or effort directed to use or profitable ends …a1023
– WALTZ anything that can be accomplished with minimum effort …1920s sl.
– WORKOUT a hard job; an exhausting effort …20C Amer. sl.
NOUNS, PERSON
1823 ► ETTLER one who makes great efforts or strives after anything → Sc.
1892 ► PASSENGER someone who does not or cannot contribute to the joint efforts made by colleagues → sl.
L19 ► AGONIZER. one who makes intense efforts to gain a specific effect → UK society sl.
1947 ► FEATHER MERCHANT one who takes it easy or expends a minimum of effort → US sl. (Bk.)
VERBS
– BE AT A THING LIKE NEED-FIRE to do anything with great effort or industry …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
– BEAVER AWAY to make one’s maximum effort …1946 sl.
– BEND OVER BACKWARDS to make one’s maximum effort, orig. with the implication of doing something disadvantageous or distasteful to oneself …1925 sl., orig. US
– BLUDGE to avoid effort, esp. by relying on others’ exertions …1919 Aust. sl.
– BOTHER YOUR ARSE to make an effort …1985 Sc.
– BOTHER YOUR BUNNIT to make an effort …1985 Sc.
– BOTHER YOUR PUFF to make an effort …1985 Sc.
– BOTHER YOUR SHIRT to make an effort …1985 Sc.
– BREAK A TRACE-CHAIN to make a supreme effort …1908 Amer. dial.
– BREAK ONE’S ARSE, BREAK ONE’S ASS to work extremely hard; to put in a great effort …1930s sl.
– BREAK ONE’S TAIL to work extremely hard; to put in a great effort …1930s sl.
– BUCK UP to make an effort; to hurry up …1890
– BUST A GUSSET to exert great effort …1968 Amer. dial.
– BUST A GUT to exert great effort; to do one’s utmost …1912 Amer. dial.
– BUST A HAME STRING to make a sudden great effort …1903 Amer. dial.
– BUST A TUG to make a sudden great effort …1899 Amer. dial.
– BUST ONE’S ARSE, BUST ONE’S ASS to work extremely hard; to put in a great effort …1930s sl.
– BUST ONE’S BUNS to work extremely hard; to put in a great effort …1930s sl.
– BUST ONE’S BUTT to work extremely hard; to put in a great effort …1930s sl.
– BUST ONE’S PANTS to work extremely hard; to put in a great effort …1930s sl.
– BUST YOUR TAIL to give the maximum effort …1996 US sl.
– CAUSE THE EYES TO STAND BACKWATER IN ONE’S HEAD to do one’s utmost, to do the most that one is able …Bk1898 Sc.
– DIG OUT to work cheerfully and with a will; to make a real effort …1987 UK military usage
– DO ONE’S BOLLOCKS to make the utmost effort …1990s sl.
– EFFORCE † to force oneself, to make an effort …1512
– FISH WELL AND CATCH A FROG to obtain little result after great effort …1546
– FLOG A DEAD HORSE to expend effort ineffectually or futilely …1872
– GET ONE’S FINGER OUT to demand effort of a lazy person …1941 sl.
– GET UP ON ONE’S EAR to rouse one’s self to a great effort …1871 Amer. sl.
– GET YOUR ARSE IN GEAR to start making an effort …2000 UK sl.
– GIVE IT THE OLD COLLEGE TRY to make a sincere effort …colloq.
– GO AT IT TOOTH AND TOENAIL to fight against energetically and with great determination, to use great effort …1965 Amer. dial.
– GO FOR BROKE to make one’s maximum effort …1951 sl., orig. US
– GO FOR THE DOCTOR to make a great effort, or move very fast esp. in a horse race …1949 Aust. sl.
– GO SOME to make one’s maximum effort …1911 US sl.
– GO TO TOWN to make the utmost effort; to tackle something with zest and vigour …1933 UK sl.
– HEAVE † to put forth effort; to endeavour, to labour, to strive …c1374
– HUSSLE to work hard, to make an effort …L19 US sl.
– HUSTLE 1. to work hard, to make an effort …L19 US sl.
2. to obtain after a diligent effort, especially one using unorthodox, if not illegal means …1840 US sl.
– KNUCKLE DOWN to make one’s maximum effort …1864 sl.
– LEAN OVER BACKWARDS to make one’s maximum effort, orig. with the implication of doing something disadvantageous or distasteful to oneself …1925 sl., orig. US
– LIFT A FINGER to make the slightest effort; used in the negative to denote unwillingness to make an effort …1833
– LOOK TO ONE’S LAURELS vb. to beware of losing one’s pre-eminence; to be careful not to lose one’s superior position to a rival …1882
– MAKE A SPOON OR SPOIL A HORN to make a determined effort to achieve something, whether ending in success or failure; to succeed in an enterprise or fail deplorably …1880
– MOVE A FINGER to make the slightest effort; used in the negative to denote unwillingness to make an effort …1833
– NOT TO BUDGE A PEG to make no effort or movement; not to cooperate in the least …1858 Amer. dial.
– NOT TO MOVE A PEG to make no effort or movement; not to cooperate in the least …1858 Amer. dial.
– OFFER to attempt, to try; to make an effort or start; to show intention or promise of …1722 Sc. & Eng. & Amer. dial.
– PAUCHLE to struggle, to strive, to contend, to expend effort and energy …1921 Sc.
– POP ONE’S GIZZARD STRING to exert great effort, to do one’s utmost, to try very hard to do something …1928 Amer. dial.
– PULL ONE’S FINGER OUT to get moving; to demand effort from a lazy person …1941 Amer. sl.
– PULL ONESELF UP BY ONE’S OWN BOOTSTRAPS to improve one’s position by one’s own efforts …1936 Amer. sl.
– PULL ONE’S SOCKS UP to make an effort, to pull oneself together …1906 colloq.
– PULL OUT ALL THE STOPS to apply maximum effort to the task in hand …1974 UK sl.
– PUT ALL OARS IN THE WATER to make every effort, to do one’s utmost …1925 Sc.
– PUT ONE’S BACK INTO to use all one’s efforts or strength in a particular endeavour
– PUT ONESELF OUT to make an effort that involves some inconvenience to oneself …1861 sl.
– RUPTURE A GUT to exert oneself; to make a great effort …1970 colloq.
– SPLIT A GUT to strain or work very hard; to exert maximum effort …1953 Amer. sl.
– STIR A FINGER to make the slightest effort; used in the negative to denote unwillingness to make an effort …1833
– SWEAT BLOOD. to make one’s maximum effort …1911 sl.
– SWEAT ONE’S GUTS OUT to work extremely hard; to make one’s maximum effort …1890 colloq.
– TAKE A BIT OF DOING to require all one’s efforts; to be difficult to do …1910s colloq.
– TAKE A LOT OF DOING to require all one’s efforts; to be difficult to do …1910s colloq.
– TAKE NIGHT TO MAKE DAY to make an all-out effort …1986 Trinidad and Tobago
– TAKE ONE’S FINGER OUT to demand effort of a lazy person …1941 sl.
– TAKE SOME DOING to require all one’s efforts; to be difficult to do …1910s colloq.
– TEAR OUT THE BONE to make an extraordinary effort; to work very hard; to do anything thoroughly …1887 Amer. dial.
– TEAR THE BONE OUT to make an extraordinary effort; to work very hard; to do anything thoroughly …1887 Amer. dial.
– TILL † to labour after, to seek after, to provide; to get by effort, to obtain, acquire or earn by labour; later, to get, to obtain …a900
– WIN THE MARE OR LOSE THE SADDLE to determine either to succeed or to fail altogether; to make a bold effort …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
Lexicophilia 