tough row to hoe

a tough row to hoe

A particularly difficult or problematic task, situation, or set of circumstances to contend with or confront. Immigration reform was one of the new president's primary campaign promises, but it will likely prove a tough row to hoe given the deep divisions in congress. I know finishing this thesis will be a tough row to hoe, but I'm actually looking forward to the challenge.
See also: hoe, row, tough
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

tough row to hoe

 and hard row to hoe
Fig. a difficult task to carry out; a heavy set of burdens. It's a tough row to hoe, but hoe it you will. This is not an easy task. This is a hard row to hoe.
See also: hoe, row, tough
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

tough row to hoe

Also, hard row to hoe. A difficult course, hard work to accomplish, as in He knew he'd have a tough row to hoe by running against this popular incumbent. [First half of 1800s]
See also: hoe, row, tough
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

tough row to hoe

n. a difficult task to carry out; a heavy set of burdens. This is not an easy task. This is a tough row to hoe.
See also: hoe, row, tough
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

tough/hard/long row to hoe, a

A difficult course to follow; hard work to accomplish. This metaphor comes from nineteenth-century America, when most people lived in rural areas and cultivated at least some land. David Crockett used it in his Tour to the North and Down East (1835): “I never opposed Andrew Jackson for the sake of popularity. I knew it was a hard row to hoe; but I stood up to the rack.”
See also: hard, long, row, tough
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • a long row to hoe
  • a tough row to hoe
  • a hard row to hoe
  • hoe
  • go down the rabbit hole
  • rabbit hole
  • pull the carpet (out) from under (one's) feet
  • pull the carpet/rug out from under somebody's feet
  • be in a cleft stick
References in periodicals archive
Add conflicting consumer expectations to the list of reasons farming is a tough row to hoe. In its new global study, Cargill found consumers had a hard-to-satisfy wish list for those who put food on our tables--with most claiming to feel knowledgeable about how our food is raised.
Cargill Canada--High consumer expectations, low levels of appreciation make it tough to be a farmer, finds new research -- 6/8/2019
Adherence to these principles may be a tough row to hoe for now, but we encourage the commissioner to remain mindful that if he can capture our hearts, our minds will follow.
Editorial Advisory Board: Tips from London for Baltimore's new police commissioner
Starting a war is easy but bringing it to an end is a tough row to hoe. Thousands of civilians have perished in this war on terror and many ended up maimed and wounded.
Afghan peace process
Pia also has a tough row to hoe: She is weighed down by bouts of 'unaddressed and underdiscussed' jealousy, as well as her failure to come to terms with ex-boyfriend Migs' (Joem Bascon) betrayal.
Tough row to hoe for Angelica, Carlo
Of course, running as a GOPer is a tough row to hoe in the 2nd Exec Council dist., considering that the GOP-controlled Legislature's redisricting plans way back when tried its best to put as many Dem voters in one place as politically possible and get 'em out of the way elsewhere.
Mixed messaging
More and more of us are becoming relegated to public land--a tough row to hoe.
Part 1 of 2: blue-collar bucks: the stories of three DIY whitetail hunters
TOUGH ROW TO HOE Visitors marvel at the countless lines of magnificent and stunning blooms
IT'S THAT TULIP BULB MOMENT; Holland's gorgeous annual extravaganza showcases this beguiling species
If farmers and farmworkers face a tough row to hoe, what about eaters?
Slim pickings: what an immigration crackdown means for farms - and your grocery bill
And for ag companies facing a tough row to hoe, comedy can contribute to greater productivity, speed up problem solving and improve morale.
Serious business: comedy in ag
Massengale has a tough row to hoe. His announcement comes a day after Gov.
Massengale to Challenge Lehrmann for Supreme Court Seat
But this can be a tough row to hoe for veterans who can't afford to wait years for benefits.
Character of service
Science is a tough row to hoe. Ninety percent of experiments don't work.
Closing the gender gap in science: how university leaders can help level the playing field
With much of Hollywood, and especially the father, proclaiming the accused's innocence, the media has a field day, and the dynamic duo has a tough row to hoe. Especially with some of the artificial impediments the author places in the way of Rachel overcoming the work of the excellent defense counsel, and proving guilt beyond a shadow of doubt, since the evidence is largely circumstantial.
Killer Ambition
I don't know how many advertisers left you, no doubt it would have been a tough row to hoe. I always enjoy it.
Pension tension
Even before the accident, Capp had a tough row to hoe, as biographer Michael Schumacher and former underground comics publisher Denis Kitchen reveal in their fine new biography Al Capp: A Life to the Contrary.
The wizard of dogpatch: the wretched life and amazing art of cartoonist Al Capp