bust one's chops
Toil beyond limits
To bust one's chops is to work very hard, to exert great effort: I've been busting my chops all week on this project.
The phrase suggests grueling physical or mental labor.
Separately, to bust someone's chops is to tease, criticize, or give them a hard time: My coworkers love busting my chops about my taste in music.
- teaseMock playfully
- mockScornful imitation or fake
- poke funGently ridicule someone
- criticizeJudge unfavorably, vocally
- ribCurved chest bone
pull one's leg · give a hard time · nag · jest · persevere · toil · hard work · scold · talk smack · banter · labor · provoke · strive · exert · burn the midnight oil · razz · hustle · grind
bust one's chopscoast
Land beside the ocean
slack off · loaf · take it easy · phone it in · laze around
bust one's chopsrelax
Become less tense
unwind · take a breather · kick back · decompress · put one's feet up
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