A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

with child
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work off one’s ticket • work one’s ticket
work off one’s ticket—
1
. earn one’s passage by services on
board ship, etc.: After an ancestor landed in Philly in 
1
679 as
an indentured servant and worked off his ticket, he headed
west … to present day Ohio. 2. pay off one’s fine for traffic
violation by working: When motorcycle cop pulls over leather-
clad biker, he decides to allow him to “work off ” his ticket.
work one’s ticket—(sl.) get one’s early discharge, especially
from the army (by feigning illness, etc.): It is a comparatively
easy matter for a discontented man to “work his ticket.”
Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase write one’s own ticket—(coll.) be able to stipulate one’s
own conditions: This is an actor that has reached unimagined
heights in his craft and can write his own ticket.
work oneself up into something • work oneself up
to something
work oneself up into something —bring oneself into a highly
emotional state: It would be foolish, even dangerous to work
oneself up into a frenzy.
work oneself up to something —
1
. = work oneself up into some-
thing: He would gradually work himself up to a state of intense
agitation in which he screamed and berated me. 2. prepare
oneself with sufficient energy or courage to do smth.: I can’t
just walk in there and ask for a raise. I have to work myself
up to it. 3. progress to a certain rank or status: He worked
himself up to sergeant in no time at all.
work something in with something • work
 something into something
work something in with something —make smth. such as a
schedule, etc. fit or harmonize with smth.: I’m motivated to
work out and feel better, I just don’t know how to work it in
with everything else I have to do.
work something into something —
1
. force smth. into smth.
else by gradual movement: He was able to work his foot into
his boot but it was still very tight. 2. include smth. into smth.
written or spoken: Each week I try to work a few jokes into
the typically mundane legal topics we discuss.