ENGLISH
REFERENCE

heavy going

idiom
Meaning

Something that is boring; difficult to make progress on, or tedious


Origin

disputed origin

From horse racing.

Examples
SIMPLE

This book is heavy going, so I might stop reading it.

CONTEXTUAL

The project was heavy going because the instructions were unclear and we lacked the right tools.

COMPLEX

Although the historical biography was meticulously researched, the dense prose made it heavy going for even the most dedicated scholars.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    coming and going

    A general bustle of activity.

  2. 02

    going away

    Ahead of the competitors and still increasing the lead.

  3. 03

    going rate

    The current standard or usual price, rate, or salary for something.

  4. 04

    got it going on

    Be attractive, outgoing (typically of women).

  5. 05

    hang heavy

    To seem to pass slowly; to crawl.

  6. 06

    have it going on

    To be attractive or socially successful or have an aura of success.

  7. 07

    heavy as a dead donkey

    Very heavy.

  8. 08

    heavy equipment

    Any of a diverse class of large machines used in construction and mining for earthmoving tasks (e.g., digging, grading), logging, and other heavy-duty applications.

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