work one's way

work one's way idiom
Exert oneself to proceed in a particular direction; also, finance a project by working. For example, The painters are working their way from the top floor to the basement, or I'm trying to work my way into the publishing world, or She's working her way through college. [Second half of 1800s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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