🗓️ Idiom: Put in the Hours (verb)
💬 Meaning
- Working long hours to achieve success.
- Showing dedication and effort over time to reach a goal.
🧠 Example Sentences
- She became a top lawyer by putting in the hours at the start of her career.
- Success in business often requires putting in the hours when others stop working.
- He’s putting in the hours now so he can apply for a promotion next year.
🏛️ Origin
This idiom comes from the simple idea of measuring work in “hours.” To “put in the hours” means to invest enough time and effort, usually more than the minimum required, to make progress or achieve success. It reflects the traditional view that hard work over time brings results.
📝 Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blank:
Young entrepreneurs often succeed because they are willing to _______ the hours.
Answer
put in
2. Multiple choice:
What does “putting in the hours” mean?
a) To count how many hours you work
b) To work long and hard to reach a goal
c) To reduce your working time
Answer
b) To work long and hard to reach a goal
3. Change the sentence using “putting in the hours”:
“She is working late every night to finish the project.”
Answer
She is putting in the hours to finish the project.
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