exceptional creative or inventive capacity is the product of an inexhaustible willingness to take great trouble

When Wellington wrote "genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains", he was writing, primarily, about logistics.  WebC

It is sometimes said that genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains; it would be truer to say that genius has the love which makes all pains easy.  WebC

But if one definition of genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains, then Howard indeed fits the bill.  WebC

geta disappointing negative answer to a question or a request

Auditors got a dusty answer when they sought more legal protection for their partnership
structure. Google

Mr Fell said: "History records that he got a dusty answer but 10 years later we were chasing him.".  Google

Mr Brennan’s plea also got a dusty answer from Lee Jasper, Ken Livingstone’s Senior Policy Advisor on policing.  Google

dostat se ke slovu

I started off by saying "feel free to get a word in edgeways!"  Google

Sorry to see that that your Australian site isn't flourishing
you can hardly get a word in edgeways over on the English one. google

 I managed to get a word in edgeways and warned her of the harm she
would do to others if she went ahead with her “investment”.  Google

become aware of sth, or of qualities or behaviour in sb

Indonesia gets wise to rodent problem. Google

The idiot box gets wise.  Google

When Will Voters Finally Get Wise to the Shell Game? Google

make yourself start thinking clearly and effectively

We all knew that Peter was impetuous, that he spoke before he got his brain in gear.  Google

 Probably the only time he ever got his brain in gear was when he passed his ham licensing. Google

Jim got his brain in gear again. Google

perceive, understand, esp. what another has described, proposed or demonstrated to one

Where did Joseph Smith get the idea that "Navuoo" means "beautiful" in
Hebrew? google

Where do people get the idea Howard
Dean's a liberal?  Google

How I Got the Idea... During the early 90's I read some different news
articles about Russian corrective eye surgeries. Google

irritating or annoying sb

Global warming is really getting on my nerves. Google

The gaming industry is getting on my nerves!!!  google

This jealousy thing is really getting on my nerves.....  google

young people, esp. of the rich upper classes, with the means and leisure to enjoy themselves

The Gilded Youth. ... Fréron gave the watchword to the "gilded youth"
(jeunesse dorée), as they called the group he had organized.  Google

The Alarm became the anthem of young reactionaries who called themselves "gilded
youth."  Google

These men surpassed dukes and marquises by their haughty
looks And outshone the capital's gilded youth.  Google

show (sb) ordinady and reasonable courtesy in answering an ordinary question

So the Irishman repeated it, but without drawing forth a reply. “Sure, yer
a paltry thing that can’t give a civil answer to a civil question.”.  Google

Haven't you even learnt as much as to
give a civil answer to a civil question?" he said angrily. Google

The fairies have their tiffs with the birds, but they usually give a civil answer
to a civil question. Google

tell sb how angry you are with him/them

He does not exactly scold me, but he gives me a piece of his
mind, and that leads to explanations and a good understanding.  Google

Thanks to him, who always gives me a piece of his mind whenever I display any
signs of weakness. google

It takes me at least half-an-hour to park my car and by the time I reach the
court, the agitated judge gives me a piece of his mind." Google

give sb the greatest possible praise and credit

He is not scared of the short ball and I give him full marks for that, but the Indian team will have to look for a different wicketkeeper.  Google

But I give him full marks for sticking up for his teammates. Google

So the Jury did not give him full marks for his story.  Google

puzzle sb, make sb think hard

He can kodak those five hearts to the ten all in East's hand, and it gives him furiously to think.  Google

This surprised Wobbler and gave him furiously to think.  Google

Such an unexpected tirade from the normally peaceable possum had quite a surprisingly
mollifying effect on the irascible wombat and gave him furiously to think. Google

make sb think sth is true, lead sb to believe

She gave me to understand that she disliked being called
"Billie Ruth", though that's what most folks called her.  Google

Sometimes Verlaine gave me to understand that it was his intention to come with me,
in justice, as he put it, to his wife and his wife's family ;  Google

He let out a long, satisfying sigh, and gave me to understand he
was about to reveal something he had never told anyone before.  Google

present sb with/have a problem, difficult decision to make

 What did you give him to think about?"  Google

The longer you give him to think about this after we approach him, the more
circumstances he may come up with. Google

I spent a lot of time going through the Bible today asking God to show me verses
I should give him to think about, as he hardly ever reads the Bible, and I ...  Google

sb uses all his energy and effort to do sth

 I gave it my all, I tried to make things work. google

 I made a difference and gave it my all. google

 I asked him how he did it and humbly he would reply I just gave it my
all and truly cared for the people I worked with and called on. google