break one's back

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break one's back (third-person singular simple present breaks one's back, present participle breaking one's back, simple past broke one's back, past participle broken one's back)

1. (idiomatic) Synonym of strive: to apply oneself completely to the point of physical exhaustion or incapacity.
   • 2008, Stuart Smith, The Mad Ramblings of a Monkey: The Nefarious Project, page 17:

     See, it's not that I'm a disagreeable person. I just have a motto that I won't break. If I'm asked to do something, I'll break my back to see that it's done.

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see break,‎ back.

• break someone's back