Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

at the coal face

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.44 in modern English

Syllables
at the -coal -face
IPA
23
Scrabble Score
13
Letters
3
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

prep_phrase

Directly engaged in the operations of a business, rather than in a hands off, managerial position.

British usage

Etymology

From being in a coal mine, at the face where the mining is actually occurring, especially in dark, cramped, dirty, hazardous conditions. Compare front line and trenches, of similar formation.

Usage

Phrases

front line day-to-day hands-on nitty-gritty nuts and bolts on the tools roll up one's sleeves

Frequently Paired Words

chalkface codeface front line day-to-day hands-on nitty-gritty nuts and bolts on the tools

Synonyms

in the trenches where the rubber meets the road

Questions

What does at the coal face mean?
Directly engaged in the operations of a business, rather than in a hands off, managerial position.
Where does at the coal face come from?
From being in a coal mine, at the face where the mining is actually occurring, especially in dark, cramped, dirty, hazardous conditions. Compare front line and trenches, of similar formation.

How to pronounce at the coal face

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “at the coal face”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “at the coal face”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “at the coal face” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.