long row to hoe en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
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(idiomatic) A difficult, arduous task or set of tasks; a lengthy, demanding project.
Japan's six-year economic slump is far from over. “They have a long row to hoe for recovery,” said Richard Koss.
1997 November 29, “Dollar Nears 5-Year High Against the Yen”, in New York Times, retrieved 23 Jul 2014:Labour has begun to redress the balance, but there is still a long row to hoe.
2009 April 11, Hanif Kureishi, “Margaret Thatcher: Acceptable in the 80s?”, in The Guardian, UK, retrieved 23 Jul 2014:“Don’t you suppose I know all that you’ve been through. . . ? I’ve followed you every step. . . .” “Well, you’ve had a long row to hoe.”
1907, William Dean Howells, chapter 5, in Between the Dark and the Daylight:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| long rows to hoe | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Relateds
Synonyms
hard row to hoe · tough row to hoe
Translations (3)
fi iso homma (difficult task) · fi vaativa homma (difficult task) · cmn 任重道遠 /任重道远 (difficult task)