Fig.: to set to work vigorously

Come on, you guys. Put your back into pushing this car to the gas station

Dai ragazzi. Mettetecela tutta, dobbiamo spingere la macchina fino al distributore

The Boy Scouts had promised to clean up the old playground and they went at it hammer and tongs. Before you knew it, the children were spinning on the old merry-go-round again

I Boy Scouts avevano promesso di ripulire il vecchio parco giochi. Ci si sono messi di buzzo buono e in men che non si dica i bambini giravano di nuovo sulla vecchia giostra

Put your shoulder to the wheel and I assure you you'll be done by tonight

Ti assicuro che se ti ci metti di buzzo buono, per stasera avrai finito

This phrase, which refers to pushing a bogged-down cart, has been used figuratively since the 17th century