heavy going

H

heavy going (idiomatic adjective phrase)
/ˌhevi ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

Synopsis

“Heavy going” refers to something that is difficult, slow, or tiring to get through. It originated from the literal idea of struggling to move through resistant terrain and developed into a figurative expression in nineteenth-century British English for tasks or situations that require sustained effort.

Meanings

• Difficult and slow to make progress, requiring sustained effort or patience.
• Mentally tiring or hard to understand because of complexity or density.
• Dull, boring, laborious, or lacking enjoyment, making an activity feel like work.

Synonyms: laborious; boring; slow-going; demanding; taxing; exhausting; tedious; hard work.

Example Sentences

1. Negotiations over the contract were heavy going, with little progress after hours of discussion.
2. The philosophy chapter was heavy going for students new to the subject.
3. The presentation became heavy going once the speaker drifted into technical details.

Origin and History

The phrase “heavy going” developed from the physical experience of moving under resistance, where “heavy” described weight or drag and “going” referred to movement or progress. In its earliest sense, the expression evoked the effort required to advance through difficult conditions. This concrete imagery later provided a natural foundation for figurative meaning, allowing physical strain to represent difficulty more broadly.

Etymological Development

The word “heavy” descends from Old English hefig, signifying weight, burden, or pressure, while “going” evolved from early uses of “go” meaning motion or progression. When combined, the phrase formed a compact expression that conveyed resistance to forward movement. This linguistic pairing reflects a common English pattern in which physical properties are used metaphorically to describe effort, challenge, or resistance.

Shift to Figurative Meaning

By the nineteenth century, “heavy going” had expanded beyond literal movement to describe activities that were slow, demanding, or mentally taxing. The phrase retained its core imagery of resistance but applied it to abstract situations such as difficult work, dense writing, or tedious discussions. This figurative extension allowed the expression to function as a concise evaluation of effort rather than physical conditions alone.

Place of Origin

The phrase originated in British English, where it appeared in both literal and figurative contexts before spreading more widely. Its early use aligns with British idiomatic patterns that employ physical labor and movement as metaphors for intellectual or procedural difficulty. The hyphenated form “heavy-going” also reflects established British usage.

Variants

• heavy-going
• a bit heavy going
• rather heavy going
• pretty heavy going

Difficult, Hard, Situation, Work