earning one's keep
Justifying one's presence
To earn one's keep is to contribute enough work or value to justify the resources spent on one's maintenance.
The phrase originated with servants and laborers who received room and board rather than wages, but now applies broadly to anyone expected to pull their weight.
The new intern is definitely earning her keep with all those extra hours.
If something doesn't earn its keep—a kitchen gadget, a piece of software—it fails to justify the space or cost it demands.
- employmentPaid occupation status
- taskWork to be done
- paymentFulfilling a financial obligation
- contributionSomething given to help
- pulling one's weightDoing your fair share
working for a living · fair share · chipping in · compensation · diligence · day's work · reciprocity · effort · sweat equity · industriousness · survival · duty · self-reliance · wages · room and board · hard work · productivity · stewardship
earning one's keepfreeloading
Exploiting others' generosity
mooching · sponging · free riding · scrounging · cadging
earning one's keepidling
Operating without working
loafing · coasting · goldbricking · malingering · sitting idle
earn, earns, earned, earner, earners, earnings, ones, keep, keeps