roll up your sleeves, go the extra mile, under the weather, give someone a run for their money, break the bank: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 idioms from Idioms set 37. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. roll up your sleeves · idiom/roʊl ʌp jʊr slivz/

   to prepare for hard work or effort

   It’s time to roll up your sleeves and get to work.

   Origin: Common since the 1800s — workers physically rolled up long sleeves before starting hard, often messy work.

2. go the extra mile · idiom/ɡoʊ ði ˈɛkstrə maɪl/

   to go beyond what is expected or required

   She always goes the extra mile to make her clients happy.

   Origin: From the Bible (Matthew 5:41) — Jesus taught that if forced to walk one mile, you should go two willingly.

3. under the weather · idiom/ˈʌndɚ ðə ˈwɛðɚ/

   to feel slightly sick or unwell

   I won’t come to work today—I’m feeling a bit under the weather.

   Origin: From 19th-century sailors — seasick crew were sent below deck, literally beneath the bad weather above.

4. give someone a run for their money · idiom/ɡɪv ˈsʌmwʌn ə rʌn fɚ ðɛr ˈmʌni/

   to challenge someone in a way that forces them to prove themselves

   The new player gave the champion a real run for his money.

   Origin: From horse racing — a strong horse made backers feel their bet earned them a real, exciting competition.

5. break the bank · idiom/breɪk ðə bæŋk/

   to cost a lot of money

   That designer bag is nice, but it would break the bank!

   Origin: From 19th-century gambling — when a casino's bank ran out of money to pay a huge winning bet.