※ a dog’s life 过着受折磨的日子
It’s a dog’s life working two jobs and still not making ends meet.
做两份工作还不能使收支平衡，这日子真不是人过的。
※ bend over backwards 竭尽全力
Larry bent over backwards to be nice to his mother-in-law. He took her out to dinner, drove her around San Francisco, and entertained her every night.
拉里拼命地讨好岳母，请她出去吃饭，开车带她在旧金山兜风，而且每天晚上还陪她消遣。
※ bust a gut 竭尽全力
If you don't bust a gut studying, you won't get into the university.
如果你不卯足劲儿学习，就不可能考入大学。
※ bust one’s buns 尽力而为
Don't bust you buns trying to convince him: he won't listen to anybody.
别费那么大劲儿说服他，他不会听任何人的劝告。
※ double check 复查，仔细检查
I don't think I have your book at home, but I’ll double check to make sure.
我想你的书没在我家，不过我会再仔细检查一遍来确认一下。
※ elbow grease 费劲的体力活；（尤指）擦拭
It takes a lot of elbow grease to polish a car.
擦亮一部车可要费很大的劲。
※ get (something) off the ground 开始或从事某工作，在某方面取得进展
The new construction has get off the ground with a ten-million-dollar donation.
有了这一千万美元的捐款，新工程开始取得进展。
※ go the extra mile 竭尽全力，加倍努力
You have to go the extra mile if you want to pass the final exam.
要想通过期末考试，你得格外努力才行。
※ have fingers in every pie 参与许多不同的活动
When it comes to the community volunteerism, he has fingers in every pie.
谈到社区的义工活动，他参加的项目可多了。
※ have many irons in the fire （同时有许多事，想立刻做完，但又不知从何做起）忙得不可开交
Don't bother him because he has many irons in the fire.
别打搅他，他要做的事太多，忙得很。
※ hop to it 开始做事
You’d better hop to it if you’re going to finish that job by 5:00.
如果你打算5点钟完成工作，最好现在就动手。
※ hung up 忙碌，忙得不可开交
I’m all hung up at the office right now. Could we have lunch later this afternoon?
我现在在办公室忙得要命，我们晚点儿吃午饭好吗？
※ on the go 活跃地；精神饱满地；一刻不停跑来跑去地
I’m on the go all the time and don't see my family.
我整天东跑西颠，跟家人都见不上面。
※ on the move 活跃地；精神饱满地；一刻不停跑来跑去地
The girls at the office are always on the move. Where do they get all their energy?
办公室里的那些姑娘一刻也静不下来，她们哪儿来的那么多的精力啊？
※ plug away 努力做（某事）
How long have you been plugging away on that physics problem? Haven’t you solved it yet?
你花了多长时间埋头解那道物理题？难道还没有解出来吗？
※ pound the pavement （指为了某种目标，如找工作等）徘徊街头，四处奔走
In order to get signatures for a petition drive, the organizer was pounding the pavement.
为了获得请愿运动的签名，发动者们四处奔走。
※ pull one’s own weight 工作负责任
During his tenure at the college, Tom always pulled his own weight.
汤姆在大学工作期间，一直很负责。
