Roll up your sleeves
Meaning
To prepare for hard work or a difficult task that requires effort and dedication.
Origin
In any era requiring manual labor, whether in a field, a forge, or a workshop, the first instinctive action before serious work began was to pull back the long sleeves of one's shirt. This wasn't merely about avoiding dirt or preventing fabric from snagging in machinery; it was a clear, visible declaration of intent. The rolled-up sleeve signaled a readiness, a willingness to get down and dirty, to confront a task with full physical commitment. From this simple, everyday act of preparing for strenuous effort, the phrase 'roll up your sleeves' emerged, carrying with it the robust spirit of hard work and dedication, becoming a punchy shorthand for preparing to exert oneself.
Examples
- We have a lot of work to do before the deadline, so it's time to roll up your sleeves and get started.
- The project is more challenging than we anticipated, but I know our team can roll up its sleeves and see it through.