knuckle down
verb
knuckled down; knuckling down; knuckles down
intransitive verb
: to apply oneself earnestly
Word History
First Known Use
circa 1864, in the meaning defined above
knuckled down
verb
as in pitched in
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- pitched in
- buckled (down)
- banged away
- dug in
- applied (oneself)
- hammered (away)
- moiled
- labored
- toiled
- beavered (away)
- struggled
- grubbed
- plowed
- slaved
- strove
- sweat
- drudged
- dug (away)
- pegged (away)
- humped
- tugged
- travailed
- endeavored
- plugged
- attacked
- eked out
- tried
- hustled
- put out
- fagged
- wrought
- worked
- sweated
- plodded
- strained
- essayed
- slogged
- overexerted
- strived
- exerted
- ground (out)
- overworked
- drove
- exercised
- scrabbled
- scratched
- waded
- trudged
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- eased (up)
- hacked (around)
- hung (around or out)
- slacked (off)
- broke
- let up
- slackened
- goofed (off)
- hanged (around or out)
- chilled
- idled
- goldbricked
- rested
- lounged
- relaxed
- loafed
- bummed
- shirked
- lazed
- vegged out
- dallied
- dillydallied
- footled
- hung about
- fooled around
- goofed (around)
- played
- monkeyed (around)
- pottered (around)
- lolled
- hung
- basked
- reposed
- unwound
- puttered (around)
- hanged
- trifled
- dabbled
- messed around
- doodled
- fribbled
