← Back to Fala2Me
by self-made means
[baɪ ˈsɛlfˌmeɪd minz]
adverbial phrase
por meios próprios
1.
through one's own efforts and resources without external help or inheritance
He built his fortune by self-made means, starting from nothing.
Ele construiu sua fortuna por meios próprios, começando do nada.
2.
achieved through personal initiative and determination rather than privilege or assistance
She succeeded by self-made means and became an inspiration to others.
Ela obteve sucesso por meios próprios e se tornou uma inspiração para outros.
NYC Slang
bootstrapped; self-made
Synonyms
by one's own efforts
through personal initiative
independently
self-reliance
bootstrapping
Antonyms
by inheritance
through privilege
with external help
by family connections
Regional Variations
General Brazilian
por meios próprios
most common and widely understood
Brazil
com esforço próprio
emphasizes personal effort
Portugal
por seus próprios meios
formal variant, more traditional phrasing
Portugal
à força do seu trabalho
emphasizes hard work and labor
Related Idioms & Phrases
pull oneself up by one's bootstraps
make it on one's own
rise from poverty
self-made person
por esforço próprio
conquistar com suor da testa
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →