Definition

1. Verb:
   • To work extremely hard, to exert oneself to the point of exhaustion: The phrase "break one's back" means to work with intense effort and dedication, often under difficult conditions, similar to the labor of a slave or someone performing very demanding physical work.

Usage

• This phrase is used to emphasize the extreme level of effort someone puts into a task, job, or project. It is often used in contexts involving physical labor, demanding work, or striving to achieve a difficult goal.
• It is typically used in informal or conversational English.

Examples

• Verb:
  • She broke her back to finish the project before the deadline. (She worked extremely hard to finish the project on time.)
  • They are breaking their backs in the fields under the hot sun. (They are working very hard in the fields in the hot weather.)
  • I broke my back studying for that exam. (I studied with immense effort for that exam.)

Advanced Usage

• "to break one's back doing something": This structure is commonly used to specify the arduous task.
  • He broke his back trying to provide for his family. (He worked himself to exhaustion to support his family.)

Variants and Related Words

• Backbreaking (adj): Describing work that is extremely hard and physically demanding.
  • Digging the trench was backbreaking labor. (Digging the trench was exhausting physical work.)

Synonyms

• Slave away: To work very hard, like a slave.
• Work one's fingers to the bone: To work extremely hard.
• Toil: To work extremely hard or incessantly.

Related Phrases

• Break one's neck: To hurry or move very fast, often recklessly, to do something. (Note: This is similar but emphasizes speed and risk rather than sustained hard labor.)
  • Don't break your neck getting here; just drive safely. (Don't rush dangerously to get here.)

Related Idioms

• Burn the midnight oil: To work late into the night.
  • While related to hard work, this idiom focuses on working late hours rather than the extreme physical exertion implied by "break one's back".

Verb

1. work very hard, like a slave