teeth

cut your teeth acquire initial practice or experience of a particular sphere of activity or with a particular organization.

☞ The form cut your eye teeth is also found. The image is that of the emergence of a baby's teeth from its gums.

get (or sink) your teeth into work energetically and productively on (a task).

in the teeth of

1 directly against (the wind).

2 in spite of or contrary to (opposition or difficulty).

❷2001Fast Company Magazine All of these solid performances occurred in the teeth of a global economic slowdown.

like pulling teeth extremely difficult or laborious to do. informal

2002Independent It was like pulling teeth in the first half. I thought we were never going to score.

set your teeth

1 clench your teeth together.

2 become resolute.

☞ For other idioms containing teeth, see the entry for the main word in the idiom (for example, set someone's teeth on edge at edge).