PhrasesHub

Roll up your sleeves

    Definitions

      • prepare for hard work
        Encourage someone to get ready to work hard or engage in a task that requires effort and determination

      • get ready to start
        Signal to someone to prepare to begin a task or project

    Examples of Roll up your sleeves

    • Before we begin this painting project, let's roll up our sleeves and get ready to make a mess!

      The phrase "roll up your sleeves" is a figurative expression that means to prepare oneself to work hard and possibly get dirty or messy. In this example, the speaker is encouraging the others to put on a more relaxed and informal attitude, as painting can often be messy work, and the phrase "roll up your sleeves" conveys a sense of readiness and eagerness to start the project.

    • After hearing about the homeless shelter's need for volunteers, I decided to roll up my sleeves and help out.

      In this example, the speaker is using the phrase "roll up your sleeves" figuratively to indicate that they are ready to take on a new and possibly challenging opportunity to make a positive impact on their community by volunteering at a homeless shelter. This idiomatic expression emphasizes the idea that the speaker is willing to undertake hard work and devote their time and effort to a worthy cause.

    • Roll up your sleeves, guys! It's time to tackle this project head-on!

      Here, the speaker is using "roll up your sleeves" in a more forceful and urgent tone to encourage the others to join them in tackling a difficult project. This variation in tone demonstrates the versatility of the idiom and how it can be adapted to suit different contexts and circumstances.

    • The CEO encouraged everyone to roll up their sleeves and work hard, reminding us that success doesn't come easy.

      In this final example, the CEO's use of "roll up your sleeves" serves as a call to action, inspiring his colleagues to put in the effort necessary to achieve their goals. This idiomatic expression underscores the idea that success is not always easy to attain, but rather requires hard work, dedication, and a willingness to put in the necessary effort.

    • When John's boss asked him to roll up his sleeves, she meant for him to get ready to tackle a challenging project that required a lot of hard work and dedication. John knew that this project would be time-consuming and physically demanding, so he followed his boss's instructions and rolled up his sleeves. This showed his willingness and preparedness to take on the task head-on.

      The idiom "roll up your sleeves" is often used in a figurative sense to mean getting ready to do something difficult or demanding that requires effort and dedication. Literally, it means pushing up the shirt sleeves to reveal the forearms, which allows for more freedom of movement and ease of working. But in this idiomatic sense, the sleeves represent the mental and emotional attachment that a person may have to a task, and rolling them up symbolizes letting go of that attachment and diving into the work. This expression is commonly used in a business or professional setting to indicate a willingness to work hard and take on responsibility.


    Conclusion

    The idiom "roll up your sleeves" is commonly used to encourage someone to prepare for hard work or to signal the start of a task or project. It is often used in a motivational or encouraging context to inspire someone to get ready to work hard and put in effort.

    Origin of "Roll up your sleeves"

    The origin of the idiom "roll up your sleeves" can be traced back to the literal act of rolling up one's sleeves before engaging in physical labor or hard work. When someone is about to engage in a task that requires physical effort, they would roll up their sleeves to prevent them from getting in the way and to signify their readiness to work. Over time, this action became symbolic of preparing for hard work and effort, leading to the figurative use of the idiom to encourage someone to get ready to work hard or start a task. The idiom is now widely used in various contexts to convey the idea of preparing for hard work or getting ready to start a task or project.