Suppose you see someone you set to doing something are doing it half-heartedly, without much if any enthusiasm. What could be the expressions to boost their energy/enthusiasm?
Searching for the English equivalent, I came across the expression "take the gloves off", which, in my opinion, could work for the job that doesn't need gloves to protect palms doing it.
Also I found the expression "pull up (one's) socks" which to me seems somewhat odd to use addressing to someone who's working barefooted and without socks on, say, standing in water doing their work.
In addition, I was thinking of "Roll up your shirt-sleeves!", but again, one may do their work naked from the waist up.
So, are there English expressions, idiomatic or slang, with the same meaning but without mentioning any pieces of clothing?
Best Answer
First of all, there would be nothing wrong with using "Let's roll up our shirt sleeves," even if the workers were shirtless. That has become a figurative expression, not a literal one, and rarely are actual shirt sleeves rolled up when people say it. That said, the idiom seems to mean, "Let's get underway," more so that in means, "Let's work hard." I think hard work is implied, but this isn't really something you say to people who have already started working.
One idiomatic expression I can think of would be:
I like how American Heritage defines elbow grease (emphasis added):