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back-breaking work

[/bæk ˈbreɪkɪŋ wɜːrk/]
noun phrase
trabalho extenuante
1. extremely hard physical labor that is exhausting and causes pain or strain to the back
Loading those heavy boxes all day was back-breaking work.
Carregar aquelas caixas pesadas o dia todo foi um trabalho extenuante.
2. any grueling, exhausting work or effort
Writing the dissertation was back-breaking work.
Escrever a dissertação foi um trabalho muito cansativo.
NYC Slang
grind; hard graft; killer work
Synonyms
grueling workexhausting laborarduous workhard laborheavy workstrenuous worktoil
Antonyms
light workeasy jobrelaxing workcushy job

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
trabalho extenuante; trabalho pesado; trabalho cansativo
Most common usage across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
trabalho de quebra-galho; trabalho pesado
Colloquial variations may be used
São Paulo
trabalho extenuante; trabalho braçal
Formal and informal contexts
Portugal
trabalho extenuante; trabalho de fatigas
Portuguese usage; 'de fatigas' is more traditional

Related Idioms & Phrases

break one's back (working)
work like a dog
sweat of one's brow
labor of Hercules
work one's fingers to the bone
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