work (one's) fingers to the bone

To work excessively hard. Likened to literally wearing the skin off of one's hands from too much manual labor. I have worked my fingers to the bone renovating this house, and I'm glad to say that it has all been worth it. You have everyone working their fingers to the bone. You need to give them a break or they'll burn out.

See also: bone, finger, to, work

work your fingers to the bone

If you work your fingers to the bone, you work extremely hard. What sort of life is this if, like a miner, you work your fingers to the bone? I have washed, cooked, fetched and carried all my life. I worked my fingers to the bone in his house.

See also: bone, finger, to, work

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

work your fingers to the bone

work very hard.

See also: bone, finger, to, work

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

work your ˌfingers to the ˈbone

(informal) work very hard: It’s not fair — I work my fingers to the bone all day and then I have to cook and clean in the evenings.

See also: bone, finger, to, work

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

See also:

References in periodicals archive

For more call 09036582021 75p/min + network access charge AQUARIUS Jan 21-Feb 19 HOPEFULLY you won't be pushed from pillar to post yourself or work your fingers to the bone. Indeed, with Mercury together with Jupiter, it's like money for old rope.

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Thornton, tears welling in her eyes, called to her supporters, members of the Burnley Dog Owners' Action Committee "Work your fingers to the bone."

Jail for walking her dogs

Instead you work your fingers to the bone only to find that you are given deplorable housing and offered jobs that nobody else wants.

Youth cyber cafe: (Claude Henrickson, Paul Auber and Dave McKoy set up a cyber cafe in Leeds to help youth with education and employment)

"Work your fingers to the bone and what do you get?" asks Hoyt Axton in a satirical C&W song, then answers sardonically with its title: "Bony Fingers." Likewise, Johnny Paycheck's infamous "Take This Job and Shove It" is a blue-collar man's bitter protest against the rough and repetitive nature of his life's work.

Parallel worlds: the surprising similarities (and differences) of country-and-western and rap

And you don't have to work your fingers to the bone to give your home a stylish new look, Anne told us.

Varnishing act; Who said nails and home decor don't go hand in hand, asks NAN ENSOR

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