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Difficulty - Hard Tasks

Discover how English idioms like "easier said than done" and "bite the bullet" relate to hard tasks in English.

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English idioms related to Difficulty
at a push
at a push
[phrase]

with difficulty or extra effort

Ex: He can manage two jobs at a push, but three would be too much.
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to [bite] the bullet

to start to deal with an inevitable challenge or difficulty

Ex: If the old system keeps failing, we'll have to bite the bullet and replace it.
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a bitter pill to (swallow|take)

something so unpleasant that a person has to struggle to accept it

Ex: Admitting she was wrong was a bitter pill to swallow.
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easier said than done

not difficult in words compared to how difficult it can be in practice

Ex: The coach told us to stay calm under pressure, which is easier said than done.
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(fine|pretty) kettle of fish

a situation that is complicated, awkward, or annoying

Ex: This is a fine kettle of fish: the tickets are booked, but the passport hasn't arrived.
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(hard|tough) nut (to crack|)

someone or something that is difficult to understand, deal with, or overcome

Ex: Understanding his silence was the hardest nut to crack.
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to [have] {one's} work cut out for {sb}

used to say that something is very difficult and one will need to put a lot of effort into doing it

Ex: She's talented, but she'll have her work cut out for her competing against experts.
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here goes nothing

used to express a sense of uncertainty or nervousness before attempting something

Ex: The audition starts in five minutes.Here goes nothing.
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[get] blood (from|out of) a (stone|turnip)

to try to do something that is very unlikely to accomplish

Ex: We need new data; squeezing more answers from the old survey is getting blood from a stone.
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to [take] some beating

to be very successful that demands a lot of hard work in order to be outdone or surpassed

Ex: Her record in the finals will take some beating.
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tall order

a very difficult or unreasonable request

Ex: Keeping prices low while improving quality is a tall order.
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to [be] no picnic

used to emphasize that doing something is not easy at all

Ex: Getting the project finished in two weeks was no picnic.
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