apply oneself
Verb
Meaning
apply oneself (third-person singular simple present applies oneself, present participle applying oneself, simple past and past participle applied oneself)
(idiomatic) Synonym of strive: to work hard, to complete an activity with good effort and focus.
His parents wish he had applied himself better while he was in school, but he couldn't give a toss.
Synonyms
work
study
apply
devote
strive
endeavor
ply
toil
bend over backwards
lucubrate
buckle down
knuckle down
hit the books
take hold
pull out all the stops
Show all synonyms
Antonyms
Examples
To apply oneself to great inventions, starting from the smallest beginnings, is no task for ordinary minds; to divine that wonderful arts lie hid behind trivial and childish things is a conception for superhuman talents.