Trying Hard: English Vocabulary List

in a manner that requires a lot of effort

"He works like a dog."

"The dedicated athlete trained like a dog every single day to achieve his athletic goals."

to put a lot of care and effort into doing something

"She took great pains to be accurate."

"The artist took great pains to paint every tiny detail perfectly in her masterpiece."

to actively and tirelessly search for employment or other opportunities

"He pounds the pavement daily."

"After losing his job, he spent weeks pounding the pavement, visiting every company in the city."

to work excessively or to the point of exhaustion

"She worked her fingers to the bone."

"My grandmother worked her fingers to the bone raising seven children on her own."

to study in a determined and serious manner

"I need to hit the books."

"I need to hit the books tonight because I have a big exam tomorrow morning at school."

to make an attempt to capture someone or achieve something

"He tried to catch the bird."

"Trying to convince the stubborn committee to change their minds felt like putting salt on the tail of a stone."

to put a lot of effort into things and do them thoroughly

"When she cooks, she does not do things by halves."

"My mother never does anything by halves because she puts full effort into every task."

someone who is highly productive or beneficial to an organization, but is unknown or unnoticed by the public

"The back-room boy fixed the computer code."

"The back room boy fixed the computer code and the system worked perfectly after his changes."

to consider all possible options or approaches in order to find a solution or achieve a goal

"We must explore all avenues first."

"Before giving up on the project, the team decided to explore all avenues and consult several experts in the field."

to demonstrate one's ability in surpassing obstacles and dealing with difficult situations

"The team rose to the occasion."

"The young goalkeeper rose to the occasion and saved three penalty kicks in the final match."