elbow grease

1. N-UNCOUNT People use elbow grease to refer to the strength and energy that you use when doing physical work like rubbing or polishing. 諸如擦拭等費(fèi)躰力的工作[非正式]

It took a considerable amount of polish and elbow grease before the brass shone. 經(jīng)過(guò)了大量的拋光和擦拭後，這塊黃銅才露出光芒。