struggle

Everyday

1. To struggle means to try very hard to do something difficult. tree →
2. To struggle means to fight or twist your body to get free. tree →
3. A struggle is a hard effort or a fight. tree →

In the lessons

At school, pupils «struggle with» hard subjects (fractions, spelling) — that is normal and a part of learning; asking for help is smart. In science and stories, animals struggle to survive in harsh habitats. In safety, if someone struggles in water, do not jump in: shout for help and throw something that floats. Phrases: struggle with, struggle to, a struggle for, struggle free, it was a struggle.

Examples

• I struggled with my long division at first. tree →
• The baby bird struggled to get out of its egg. tree →
• Getting up early on Monday is a struggle. tree →
• The cat struggled out of my arms. tree →
• Plants struggle to grow in the desert. tree →
• He was struggling to carry the heavy box, so I helped. tree →
• If you see someone struggling in the water, shout for a lifeguard. tree →
• The struggle began, and a terrible struggle it was. tree →

Note

Regular verb: struggled, struggling. «Struggle with» (a problem) and «struggle to do» (an action). Struggling does not mean you are bad at something; it often means you are learning.

In Jewish tradition

Here it means that the twins pushed and crushed against each other inside Rebekah.

Interpretation. Rashi explains that the twins Jacob and Esau struggled because one leaned toward holy places and the other toward idol worship. It foreshadows the long rivalry between them.

Examples

• And the children struggled together within her; and she said: 'If it be so, wherefore do I live?' And she went to inquire of the LORD. (Torah GEN.25.22, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Regular verb: struggled, struggling. «Struggle with» (a problem) and «struggle to do» (an action). Struggling does not mean you are bad at something; it often means you are learning.