W pocie czoła
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What it means
Literally “in the sweat of one’s forehead.” This idiom describes working with immense effort, dedication, or physical exertion. It is used when a task requires “back-breaking” work or serious mental concentration.
Vocabulary
- pot — sweat
- czoło — forehead
- wysiłek — effort
Grammar note
'Pocie' is the locative of 'pot'; 'czoła' is the genitive of 'czoło'.
Cultural context
This phrase has biblical origins (Genesis 3:19) and is used to emphasize the dignity or difficulty of hard labor.
Intermediate
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