bend over backwards
Other forms: bending over backwards; bends over backwards
To bend over backwards is to work extra hard to make something happen, particularly to help someone or to make them happy. If your smart friend bends over backwards to help you pass your math test, you owe her a huge thanks.
You might bend over backwards to avoid offending your delicate grandparents, or bend over backwards to help your dad clean the house before they come over for dinner. In both cases, you go all out — you throw yourself into the project with extra effort. This phrase dates from the turn of the twentieth century, and while its origin is vague, it's not hard to figure out how it came to mean "work hard to do something difficult."
-
try very hard to please someonesynonyms: fall over backwards
- MLA
- APA
- Chicago
Vocabulary lists containing bend over backwards
This list focuses primarily on phrasal verbs.
In this historical novel set during the American Revolution, Tim Meeker must decide whether he should do as his father says and remain loyal to the British king or join his brother among the rebels.
At school, Zoey hopes no one will notice her. After school, she takes care of her younger siblings while her mom struggles to make ends meet. But when her social studies teacher asks Zoey to join the debate club, Zoey might finally learn to speak up for herself and her family.