grind away
1. To remove by grinding or pulverizing. You need to grind away these imperfections. Don't worry, I'm going to grind away the splinters on the sides of these wooden planks. After the dentist filled my cavity, he then had to grind away the filling's rough edges.
2. To frequently nag or disparage someone. Will you quit grinding away? I'm doing the best I can! Of course the boss is going to grind away—you turned in your last three reports late! I'm sorry to grind away about it, but I need an answer soon.
3. To work hard on something; to dedicate oneself to some effort or task. I've been grinding away all morning, but I still can't figure out where that discrepancy in the budget came from. I did grind away at that term paper, and I still got a D! So frustrating! Wow, they really did grind away at fixing up the house, huh? It looks incredible!
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
grind something away
to remove something by grinding. Grind the bumps away and make the wall smooth. Please grind away the bumps.
grind away (at something)
to crush something into particles continually. The machine ground away at the rocks, making tons of gravel. It ground away, making a terrible noise in the process.
grind away
(at someone) Fig. to needle, criticize, and nag someone continually. Why are you always grinding away at me? Leave me alone. Stop grinding away!
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
grind away
v.1. To remove something by grinding: You need to grind the spurs away with a file. The optician ground away the glass from the lens.
2. To devote oneself to study or work: She ground away at the problem. We told him to get some sleep before the exam, but he kept grinding away.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.