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make a half effort
[/meɪk ə hæf ˈɛfərt/]
verb phrase
fazer um esforço mínimo
1.
To attempt something without full commitment or energy; to do something in a halfhearted or insufficient manner
He made a half effort at cleaning his room, just pushing things under the bed.
Ele fez um esforço mínimo para limpar seu quarto, apenas empurrando as coisas para baixo da cama.
2.
To participate or engage in an activity with minimal enthusiasm or dedication
She made a half effort in the project and it showed in the final results.
Ela fez um esforço mínimo no projeto e isso se mostrou nos resultados finais.
NYC Slang
phoning it in
Synonyms
make a token effort
go through the motions
phoning it in
half-hearted attempt
make a feeble attempt
Antonyms
give one's all
make a full effort
go all out
put one's best foot forward
spare no effort
Regional Variations
General Brazilian
fazer um esforço mínimo
commonly used in casual speech
São Paulo
dar uma de meia bomba
colloquial expression
Portugal
fazer um esforço de fachada
less common usage
Related Idioms & Phrases
go through the motions
half-hearted attempt
not pull one's weight
slack off
coast along
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