break/bust one's ass
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break/bust one's ass
Exert oneself to the utmost degree; work very hard. This rather vulgar usage dates from the first half of the 1900s. Norman Mailer had it in his war novel, The Naked and the Dead (1948): “What’re we breakin’ our asses for? Let’s take it easy.” Sometimes “butt” is substituted for “ass.” See also work one's tail off.
See also: ass, break, bust
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
- wash (one's) hands of (someone or something)
- wash hands of
- wash one's hands of
- wash your hands of
- wash your hands of somebody/something
- wash your hands of something/someone
- for (one's) (own) sake
- for sake
- keep in sight
- keep sight of (someone or something)