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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

nose to the grindstone en · ADV

Etymology

From the literal action of intensely working a grindstone, whether powered by a treadle or waterwheel. The expression initially implied punishment or abusive management, forcing the worker into intense work, and was used in the anonymous translation (1557) of Erasmus's Merry Dialogue as a hyperbolic punishment threatened for an abusive husband. It was later adapted to forcing oneself into similarly intense effort.

Meanings

  1. (idiomatic, not-comparable) Hard at work.
    • Nose to the grindstone, he was up all night.

Synonyms

head down, bum up

wikipedia: William Hogarth · wikipedia: Erasmus

nose to the grindstone en · NOUN

Etymology

From the literal action of intensely working a grindstone, whether powered by a treadle or waterwheel. The expression initially implied punishment or abusive management, forcing the worker into intense work, and was used in the anonymous translation (1557) of Erasmus's Merry Dialogue as a hyperbolic punishment threatened for an abusive husband. It was later adapted to forcing oneself into similarly intense effort.

Meanings

  1. (idiomatic, obsolete) Used to form idioms meaning "to force someone to work hard or to focus intensely upon their work".
    • Be to the Poor like onie whunstane, And haud their noses to the grunstane. 1786, Robert Burns, Poems, page 188:
    • I shall to reuenge former hurts, Hold their noses to grinstone. 1546, John Heywood, A Dialogue Conteinyng the Nomber in Effect of All the Prouerbes in the Englishe Tongue, sig. Bii
    • This Text holdeth their noses so hard to the grynde stone that it clean disfigureth their faces. a. 1533, John Frith, A Mirrour or Glasse to Know Thyselfe, sig. Avi v
  2. (idiomatic) Used to form idioms meaning "to force oneself to work hard or to focus intensely upon one's work".
    • People whose heads are a little up in the world, have no occasion to keep their nose to the grindstone. 1828, Lights & Shades of English Life, volume II, page 13:
    • I travelled energetically; I went everywhere and saw everything; took as many letters as possible, and made as many acquaintances. In short, I held my nose to the grindstone. 1886 [1882], Henry James, The Point of View, London: Macmillan and Co.:
    • Thirty years ago, I lived in Stearns County with my wife and little boy in a rented farmhouse south of Freeport, an area of nose-to-the-grindstone German Catholics proud of their redneck reputation. 2001 August 26, Garrison Keillor, “In Search of Lake Wobegon”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
noses to the grindstone Number=Plur lexicographic
noses to grindstones Number=Plur lexicographic

Relateds

daily grind

Synonyms

see at strive

Translations (11)

fi niska limassa (with paiskia/painaa töitä, raataa) (Translations) · de sich abrackern (Translations) · de sich dahinterklemmen (Translations) · fi herkeämättä (Translations) · fi hartiavoimin (Translations) · it lavoratore incallito (Translations) · es andar a la brega (Translations) · es dar el callo (Translations) · de sich abschinden (Translations) · it lavoratore indefesso (Translations) · pl pilna praca (Translations)

wikipedia: William Hogarth · wikipedia: Erasmus