Idiom meaning, usage examples, facts

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PULL (ONESELF) UP BY (ONE'S) BOOTSTRAPS

to improve oneself (usually economically) without help from others
PULL (ONESELF) UP BY (ONE'S) BOOTSTRAPS
1. Clarence didn’t come from a very promising background and no one thought he would succeed. However, he pulled himself up by his bootstraps, got a good education, and became a prosperous lawyer.
2. Don’t expect other people to help you get ahead in life. If you want to get somewhere, you’ll have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps and do it for yourself.


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