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at the coal face

To be directly engaged in the operations of a business, rather than in a hands-off, managerial position.

Etymology:

  • From being in a coal mine, at the face where the mining is actually occurring, especially in dark, cramped, dirty, hazardous conditions. Compare front line and trenches, of similar formation.
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Submitted on July 07, 2010

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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to at the coal face

burn everything russian except the sour…canary in a coal minearse about faceface offbutter faceCut Off Your Nose to Spite Your Faceeat your face offblack as coalface offcut off one's nose to spite one's faceclose the faceEgg on Your Facebutter faceface away

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    "at the coal face." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Nov. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/at-the-coal-face_10960>.

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