break someone's back
Alternative form of break the back of (overburden).
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Working two jobs is starting to break my back.”
“The heavy workload is beginning to break his back, so he needs to ask for help.”
“The constant pressure of the project threatened to break her back, forcing her to delegate tasks to the rest of the team.”
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all bedlam breaks loose
The situation becomes chaotic or characterized by conflict or rage.
- 02
all hell breaks loose
The situation becomes chaotic or characterized by conflict or rage.
- 03
all the way to Egery and back
The long way; a roundabout route; a long distance to travel.
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another nail in someone's coffin
An event that increases the likelihood of or causes further failure.
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answer someone's prayers
To be or do exactly what someone has been wishing or asking for.
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answer to someone's prayers
Exactly what someone has been wishing or asking for.
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apple of someone's eye
The object of somebody's affections; a person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers; a favorite, a loved one.
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back down
To take a less aggressive position in a conflict than one previously had, or has planned to have.
Last updated August 10, 2026