ninety

be up to ninety

To be extremely busy or overworked; to have many things to contend with at once. Primarily heard in Ireland. Sorry I haven't been in touch, but between work and our new baby, I've just been up to ninety lately! We're up to ninety in here, Mary! Could you take this order out to table 10 straight away, please?
See also: ninety, up

Genius is 10 percent inspiration and 90 percent perspiration.

proverb Genius or things considered to have the quality of genius may derive from brilliant ideas or intellect, but they require a huge amount of hard work to be successful. All these successful entrepreneurs had great ideas, sure, but they worked extremely hard to realize them. Genius is 10 percent inspiration and 90 percent perspiration.
See also: 10, 90, and, genius, inspiration, percent

the craic was ninety

Describing something very enjoyable or entertaining. The spelling "crack" is also used. Primarily heard in Ireland. Oh, the craic was ninety last night—you should have been there!
See also: craic, ninety

up to ninety

Extremely busy or overworked; having many things to contend with at once. Primarily heard in Ireland. Sorry I haven't been in touch, but between work and our new baby, I've just been up to ninety lately! We're up to ninety in here, Mary! Could you take this order out to table 10 straight away, please?
See also: ninety, up
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

Genius is ten percent inspiration and ninety percent perspiration.

Prov. People get brilliant results primarily by working hard, not because they have special inborn powers. Child: Betty always does the best drawings in art class. She must be a genius. Father: If you worked hard, you could do just as well. Remember, genius is ten percent inspiration and ninety percent perspiration.
See also: and, genius, inspiration, ninety, percent, perspiration, ten
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • 90
  • be up to ninety
  • up the walls
  • up to ninety
  • swamped
  • it's too late for sorry
  • ask
  • in a sorry state
  • put (one) under the cosh
  • state
References in periodicals archive
By 2007, Ninety Plus was recognized with consistently high ratings by The Coffee Review, a preeminent industry trade publication and industry benchmark.
Ninety Plus Coffee marks 10 years
The BMW Concept Ninety delivers a very sporty interpretation of the front fairing.
BMW Motorrad unveils its Concept Ninety
Tyrur Enda and Leeview Jet were both fast away and went neck-and-neck to the bend, but Krug Ninety Five made his fastest start of the season to be a close third on the run-up.
Tyrur and Krug in Masters deadlock
The court noted that the nurse did not dispute the tact that she received the notice of her right to sue from the EEOC dated May 25, 2004, and admitted that she did not file suit within ninety days of receiving that notice.
EEOC discrimination suits must be filed within 90 days
Comments are requested within ninety days of publication in the Federal Register.
REQUEST FOR COMMENT ON PROPOSED NEW REGULATION W REGARDING BANKS AND AFFILIATES
Based in Woburn, the Ninety Nine Restaurants chain was established in 1952, operates 105 restaurants in New England and New York and is owned by American Blue Ribbon Holdings.
Good Deeds
Having had those well-fancied litter-brothers Droopys Maldini and Droopys Marco in both the 2004 and 2005 finals, he is accustomed to being under intense pressure approaching the final but this time he is very much escaping under the radar with Krug Ninety Five among the outsiders for the Classic.
Win or lose, get set to celebrate on Krug
The Ninety Nine Restaurant chain supports a statewide effort of the Boys & Girls Club chapters in areas served by one of their restaurants.
Way to go!