- break the back of smth.
- oдoлeть caмую тpудную чacть чeгo-л.Marigold and Judy and I have barely broken the back of the knitting pages (M. Dickens). He must get an opening [нaчaть cтaтью] before dinner. If he could just break its back he would be right (A. Marshall)
Concise English-Russian phrasebook.