knuckle down
phrasal verb

- if someone knuckles down, they begin to work or study very hard, especially after a period when they have done very little work

Collins Dictionary

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WORD ORIGIN

The phrase “knuckle down” comes from the game of marbles, a once-popular children’s street game. In marbles, players shoot their “shooter” marble by clenching the marble in a fist with knuckles touching the ground, then launching it with a flick of the thumb.

The word “knuckle” is from the 14th century English knokel, meaning finger joint or any joint of the body, especially a knobby one. Knokel likely derived from a Germanic source, such as Knochen or Knöchel, German for "bone" and "little bone" respectively.

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KNOW YOUR KNUCKLES

- near the knuckle = close to the limits of what people find socially acceptable, or offensive to particular groups

- a knuckle sandwich = a punch in the mouth

- a knucklehead = a stupid or foolish person

- white-knuckle = indicating, or causing intense fear, anxiety, or stress

- a rap on the knuckles = a minor punishment or reprimand and as a reminder not to do it again

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SYNONYMS

- to pay attention to, or focus on, something closely

address / apply oneself to, buckle down, concentrate on, devote oneself to, direct / focusses attention on, get down to, get stuck in(to), go to it, hone in on, KNUCKLE DOWN, pay attention to, set one’s mind to

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SMUGGLE OWAD into an English conversation, say something like:

“We need to KNUCKLE DOWN…. the report has to be online in 45 minutes.”

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and,

Paul Smith, IBAN: DE75 7316 0000 0002 5477 40