ploughing on
Pushing through difficulties
Ploughing on means continuing steadily despite difficulty or tedium, like an ox pulling a plough through heavy soil.
The image is of persistent forward motion that doesn't stop for obstacles: She ploughed on with the report despite constant interruptions.
The phrase often suggests dogged determination rather than enthusiasm—you plough on when quitting isn't an option.
- tillingCultivating soil for crops
- cultivatingDeliberately developing or tending
- harrowingExtremely distressing or disturbing
- furrowingCutting narrow trenches
- breaking groundStarting work on site
turning soil · subsoil · draft horses · fortitude · grit · exhaustion · frustration · endurance · steadfastness · commitment · courage · resilience · perseverance · carrying on · pushing through · determination · trudging · tenacity
ploughing ongiving up
Choosing to stop trying
quitting · stopping · abandoning · surrendering · throwing in the towel
ploughing onhesitating
Pausing with doubt
wavering · faltering · pausing · dithering · vacillating
ploughing onstalling
Intentional delay tactics
grinding to a halt · bogging down · stagnating · petering out · hitting a wall
plough, plow, ploughing, plowing, ploughed, plowed, ploughs, ploughman, plowman