make a martyr of (oneself)

To go out of one's way to do difficult or unpleasant things, especially to engender pity or sympathy in others. My mother always made a martyr of herself at Christmas time, slaving away in the kitchen and then complaining about how tired she was.

See also: make, martyr, of

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

See also:

heartstring
play on heartstrings
play on the/(one's) heartstrings
have pity on
have pity on (one)
fall out with (someone) about (something)
take pity
take pity on
take pity on (someone or something)
get it over with

词组	make a martyr of (oneself)
释义	make a martyr of (oneself) make a martyr of (oneself) To go out of one's way to do difficult or unpleasant things, especially to engender pity or sympathy in others. My mother always made a martyr of herself at Christmas time, slaving away in the kitchen and then complaining about how tired she was. See also: make, martyr, of Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. See also: heartstring play on heartstrings play on the/(one's) heartstrings have pity on have pity on (one) fall out with (someone) about (something) take pity take pity on take pity on (someone or something) get it over with
随便看	give a rah-rah speech give a rat's arse give a red face give a ring give as good as one gets give as good as you get give a shit give a shit about (someone or something) give a shit about someone/something give a shite give a sneck posset give a try give away giveaway give away the shop give away the store give a wide berth give a wide berth to (someone or something) give a wide berth to, to give back give bad marks to give bad marks to (someone or something) give battle give best shot give birth