work up a sweat

work up a sweat

1. Literally, to perspire due to strenuous physical activity. Ping pong is actually great exercise. You really can work up a sweat after just a few games.
2. By extension, to put forth a large amount of energy or effort into or toward a task. Often used in the negative to indicate the opposite. That test was so easy, I aced it without even working up a sweat.
See also: sweat, up, work
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • be in a sweat
  • sweat off
  • limber up
  • appetite
  • get up an appetite
  • settle down to (something)
  • work up a thirst
  • not a chance
  • Not a chance!
  • Don’t sweat it!
References in periodicals archive
These two brave would-be knights don 75lb of solid steel armour to work up a sweat in a Warwickshire sauna.
Knights of old work up a sweat in the sauna
But Courteney also revealed how she keeps her trim figure in shape as she broke off from sunbathing to work up a sweat doing press-ups before returning to topping up her tan.
Oh look, it's Courteney's coccyx