HomeServicesBlogDictionariesContactSpanish Course
← Back to search

Meaning of put one's shoulder to the wheel | Babel Free

Verb CEFR C2

Definitions

To work hard, to complete an activity with one's complete effort and focus.

figuratively

Examples

“When he got to law school he knew he'd have to put his shoulder to the wheel to succeed.”
“War is a racket. It always has been. It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious. It is the only one international in scope. It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives... Of course, it isn't put that crudely in war time. It is dressed into speeches about patriotism, love of country, and "we must all put our shoulders to the wheel," but the profits jump and leap and skyrocket—and are safely pocketed.”
“Along the way, companies such as Facebook and Google employ every useful foot soldier, including social scientists such as [Alexander] Kogan who are willing to put their shoulders to the wheel as they help the company learn, perfect, and integrate the cutting-edge methods that can conquer the next frontier […]”

CEFR level

C2
Mastery
This word is part of the CEFR C2 vocabulary — mastery level.

See also

Learn this word in context

See put one's shoulder to the wheel used in real conversations inside our free language course.

Start Free Course