break someone's back
The phrase 'break someone's back' is an idiom that conveys the idea of extreme effort or burden, often leading to exhaustion or significant strain.
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Definition
B2General
(figurative, common)To make someone work extremely hard, often to the point of exhaustion.
Example
- I broke my back to finish this project on time.
C1Financial
(figurative, common)To place an excessive financial burden on someone, causing significant strain.
Example
- The medical bills were so high that they nearly broke his back.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "break someone's back":
break one's backbreak one's neckbreak the back ofon someone's backbust one's assbreak withon one's backbreak inbreak the bankbreak badgive someone a breakbreak a butterfly upon the wheel