bust one's balls
To work very hard; to put in a lot of effort.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He is busting his balls to finish the project on time.”
“She has been busting her balls all week to prepare for the big presentation, so she deserves a break.”
“Despite busting his balls for years to build the company from nothing, he found himself facing unexpected bankruptcy when the market suddenly collapsed.”
- 01
abound in one's own sense
To follow one’s own inclinations and opinions.
- 02
ace up one's sleeve
A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.
- 03
act one's age
To behave in a manner appropriate to one's age.
- 04
act one's age, not one's shoe size
Synonym of act one's age (“to behave in a mature manner; to avoid being childish”).
- 05
afraid of one's own shadow
Exceptionally timid.
- 06
air one's dirty laundry in public
To reveal one's sordid secrets to the public.
- 07
air one's dirty linen in public
Synonym of air one's dirty laundry in public.
- 08
albatross around one's neck
A characteristic, possession, associate, or previous deed that hinders one's ability to succeed.
Last updated August 10, 2026