Backbreaker

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈbækˌbɹeɪkə(ɹ)/

Definitions

1. A task or situation that is overwhelmingly difficult can be seen as a tremendous struggle for endurance
2. A challenge that causes extreme physical or mental strain is often viewed as an exhausting trial
3. An activity or duty that requires great effort and endurance, making it extraordinarily taxing

Etymology: The word is a plain compound: "back" plus "breaker," the latter from "break" with the agent suffix "-er," so it names something or someone that breaks backs. The sense of a crushing task grew out of the literal image of a load heavy enough to snap a person's spine. Its earliest uses in English were concrete, referring to physical loads and labour, and the figurative sense of a burden or ordeal developed from that. The sense of a "back-breaker" as a load or task of extreme strain is the one most readers meet today, and it has long been used this way. Sporting and everyday speech alike use it for exhausting work, such as a long harvest or a difficult climb, as well as for anything that drains one's endurance.

Synonyms: strenuous task, difficult challenge, exhausting work

Antonyms: easy task, breeze, cakewalk