put hand to the plow

put (one's) hand to the plow

To set to work; to begin or get busy working. (Spelled "hand to the plough" in British English.) Primarily heard in US. We've spent a long time planning our business model, and now it's time to put our hand to the plow. My father loves his work. Even after retiring, he still puts his hand to the plow with various projects.

See also: hand, plow, put, to

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

put one's hand to the plow

Fig. to get busy; to help out; to start working. (Alludes to grasping a plow, ready to work the fields.) You should start work now. It's time to put your hand to the plow. Put your hand to the plow and get the job done!

See also: hand, plow, put, to

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.