exert oneself

Put oneself to strenuous effort, as in We exerted ourselves mightily to raise funds. [First half of 1700s]

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Related Words for exert oneself toil, tend, sweat, strive, pursue, tackle, seek, solicit, undertake, cope, try, attack, work, struggle, force, combat, support, maintain, resist, continue