earn spurs

earn one's spurs

Fig. to prove oneself. After that rodeo, all the cowboys agreed that Sally had earned her spurs. He felt that he had earned his spurs when he received his Ph.D.

earn/win your spurs

to do something to show that you deserve a particular position and have the skills needed for it He won his political spurs fighting hospital closures during his time as a local councillor in Bristol.

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Judson	['dʒʌdsn]
Janice	JAN-is	English
Olimpia	aw-LEEM-pyah (Polish)	Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Polish, Hungarian
Cliff	KLIF	English
NapolÉOn	-	French (Rare)
Sinikka	SEE-neek-kah	Finnish