Fig.: physical effort

To get his car really clean, Jack used soap, water and lots of elbow grease

Per pulire la sua macchina a dovere, Jack ha usato detergente, acqua e molto olio di gomito

"How did you get all of your silverware so shiny?" "Elbow grease!"

"Come fa la tua argenteria a essere così splendente?" "Olio di gomito!"

It has been said that this expression, dating from the 17th century, originally referred to a joke played on a new apprentice, who was sent out to a shop to purchase “elbow grease”