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sledding

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easy sledding

Progress that will or is expected to require little to no effort. With their opponents' star player out with an injury, it should be easy sledding for the home team today. It will be easy sledding once I get this one assignment out of the way.

See also: easy, sledding

rough sledding

A difficult, turbulent, or troublesome period of time or undertaking. This administration has gone through some rough sledding over the last year, but the president is determined to regain the trust and support of the American people. Even some of the wealthier areas of the country must brace for rough sledding as fresh austerity measures come into effect on the heels of the IMF bailout. The book can be notoriously rough sledding, but if you're able to stick with it, it is in fact a most rewarding experience.

See also: rough, sledding

hard sledding

 and tough sledding

Fig. a very difficult time. They had some hard sledding when they were first married. It was tough sledding for sure when our crops failed that year.

See also: hard, sledding

easy sledding

Effortless progress, as in It's easy sledding from here on. This expression alludes to coasting smoothly down a hill and was first recorded as smooth sledding in 1898. Also see the antonym tough sledding.

See also: easy, sledding

tough sledding

Difficult work or progress, as in This bill faces tough sledding in the legislature. This idiom transfers the route on which a sled can travel to other kinds of progress toward a goal. It was first recorded as hard sledding in 1839. For the antonym, see easy sledding.

See also: sledding, tough