View Poll Results: If you work your socks ____, you work very hard.
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Socks
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Re: Socks
I hit it. The idiom reminds me of another --with one's sleeves up
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Re: Socks

Originally Posted by
Tdol
Tdol is working his socks off to popularize the website's dictionary of Idioms and definitions.
Tdol, can you please give the probable etymology of this phrase.
I guess it comes from the fact, when you work very hard then your socks become sweaty and you have to put them off. This led to call it 'working socks off'. Kindly comment.
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Re: Socks
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Re: Socks
Oh, so I have to work my socks off to have my english improved.
=> Oh no, I have taken off my socks off but I didn't see any thing changes in my English. LOL.
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Re: Socks

Originally Posted by
hanky
Oh, so I have to work my socks off to have my english improved.
=> Oh no, I have taken off my socks off but I didn't see any thing changes in my English. LOL.
Work hard till you are washed out.
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Re: Socks
You may have worked your socks off, but have you worked your fingers to the bone?

Petra
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Re: Socks

Originally Posted by
thedaffodils
I hit it. The idiom reminds me of another --with one's sleeves up

I believe you mean this one,
roll up your sleeves to prepare for hard work. After the election, the mayor rolled up his sleeves and began immediately to put his promises into action.
Etymology: based on the idea that people often literally roll up their sleeves before doing difficult physical work.
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Re: Socks
You know, I actually have never heard the expression "work one's socks off".
More commonly one hears "work one's tail off" (or "work one's butt off" or other variations of this part of the anatomy.) As in, "The family worked their tails off getting the house ready for the party".
A very common expression using socks is "to knock one's socks off", as in: "That concert really knocked my socks off!", meaning it was a spectacular, exceptionally good concert.
My two cents worth,
Petra
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