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Region: General | Usage example: They beat leather trying to finish before the deadline.

Beat leather

Meaning

Work extremely hard.

Usage

Used to describe intense, exhausting effort.

Origin & History

Origin notes can vary by region and source; this page gives the commonly reported explanation and usage context.

Leatherworkers beating hides to soften them.

Used in craftsman circles before generalizing.

Related Idioms

Beat around the bush

Avoid stating something directly.

Beat a dead horse

Waste effort on something already decided.

Beat the odds

Succeed despite unlikely circumstances.

More Idioms

Break the ice

To do or say something to relieve tension or get conversation going in a social situation.

Cut to the chase

Skip ahead to the most important or exciting part of something.

The ball is in your court

It is now your turn to take action or make a decision.

Throw in the towel

To concede defeat or admit a struggle isn't worth continuing.