chugged away

Verb

chug away (third-person singular simple present chugs away, present participle chugging away, simple past and past participle chugged away)

1. To move away at a slow, steady pace, especially if making chugging noises.
   • Locked in such musings as her train chugged away from New York City, the fourteen-year-old suddenly felt overwhelmed with longing for her own family.2004, J. Barbara Alvord, Through Different Eyes: An Immigrant's Heroic Journey, 1889-1909, page 169
2. To operate continuously, especially if making a low mechanical noise.
   • Next to the baseball bats in the garage, a spare refrigerator cooled cases of beer and soda, and a commercial-grade icemaker chugged away.2004, Jim Collins, The Last Best League
3. (broadly) To work at something in a steady, dogged manner.
   • You mustn't let the tuna rest, if you aim to ever gaff him alongside. You chug away, lifting with all your strength. Up comes the fish, sulkily at first, fighting every foot.1901 February, Maximilian Foster, “The Greatest Game Fishing”, in Munsey's Magazine, volume 24, number 5, page 662
4. To drink down steadily in large gulps.
   • Remember kosher wine gets you just as drunk as the nonkosher stuff; so chug away, fellow Jews, chug away.2010, Carin Davis, Life, Love, Lox: Real-World Advice for the Modern Jewish Girl