break one's ass

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break (one's) ass

1. rude slang (acting upon oneself) To exert a significant amount of energy or work very hard to do, accomplish, or complete something. I've been breaking my ass all night long to get this presentation ready for tomorrow's meeting. She's going to have to break her ass if she wants a place on the varsity team.2. rude slang (acting upon someone else) To harass, nag, or upbraid someone to do, accomplish, or complete something. The boss is breaking everyone's asses to get the project ready by next week. Quit breaking my ass! I'll get it done eventually!See also: ass, break

break one's ass

Also, break or bust one's ass or balls or butt or chops . 1. Exert oneself to the utmost, try extremely hard, as in I've been breaking my ass to finish early. This expression is considered vulgar slang; both ass, for backside or buttocks, and balls, for male genitals, are rude; butt, for buttocks, and chops, for either the mouth or the legs, are informal and emphatic but not quite as offensive. For a more polite synonym, see break one's back. [Slang; first half of 1900s] 2. break someone's ass. Also, bust someone's chops. Thrash or harass someone, as in Jim threatened to break Tim's ass, or The boss broke his workers' chops to improve service. [ Vulgar slang; mid-1900s] See also: ass, break