have (one's) work cut out

To have much work to do to complete a particular task. I knew I had my work cut out for me when I saw how messy the play room was. A: "So many people have resigned in the last few months that the department is a shambles." B: "Great, so I have my work cut out for me." We have our work cut out for us with the new house. We can move right in, but there are a lot of cosmetic changes we'll need to make.

See also: cut, have, out, work

have your work cut out

have your work cut out for you

INFORMAL

COMMON If you have your work cut out or have your work cut out for you, you have a very big and difficult problem or task to deal with. Williamson has his work cut out to turn around a team which has not won a league game since October. She'll have her work cut out for her getting a class of forty kids under control..

See also: cut, have, out, work

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

have your work cut out

be faced with a hard task.

See also: cut, have, out, work

have your ˈwork cut out (to do something/doing something)

(informal) be likely to have difficulty doing something: You’ll have your work cut out to get there before nine. It’s 8.30 already. ♢ I won’t be able to come with you today. I’ve got my work cut out for me at the moment.

See also: cut, have, out, work

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