crazy enough to work
Acknowledging that an idea, plan, or strategy seems foolish, implausible, or risky, yet might succeed precisely because of its unconventional or unexpected nature.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“That plan sounds crazy enough to work.”
“We were desperate to save the project, so we tried his strange idea because it sounded crazy enough to work.”
“Although the proposal appeared entirely impractical at first glance, the team eventually realized it was just crazy enough to work under the current circumstances.”
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busy work
Work or activity performed with the intention or result of occupying time, and not necessarily to accomplish something productive; routine work of low priority undertaken for the sake of avoiding idleness.
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can't get enough
Greatly enjoys; likes a lot.
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close enough for government work
Adequate; acceptable as government work, imperfect but not worth the time nor effort of improving.
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detective work
investigative research
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dirty work
One or more unpleasant tasks, assignments, or employment duties, especially those of a disreputable or illicit nature.
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do the work
To take part in social justice activism; to fight against racism, oppression, etc.
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don't call me sir, I work for a living
Used by senior enlisted military personnel to indicate that they are not commissioned officers.
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donkey work
Work that is difficult, boring, and routine.
Last updated August 10, 2026