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“Glutton for punishment” means willingly taking on difficult tasks. “Glutton” comes from Latin for greedy and overeating. Gluttony is a deadly sin. Some people crave difficulty to benefit others or themselves, while others take on too much to be perceived as martyrs. Some people enjoy hard work.
Being a glutton for punishment is an idiom that means willingly taking on difficult or unpleasant tasks that can be very uncomfortable. The word “glutton” tends to mean overeating and originates in Latin with the related words gluttus which means greedy and gluttires which is translated as to swallow. The word gula may be similarly related and translates as gluttony.
In most cases, being the term “glutton” in this sentence is different from having a sweet tooth. Gluttony in general is one of the deadly sins, as people who overeat, greedily, and often are more interested in themselves (according to those who track sins this way). Being a glutton for punishment usually means that the person welcomes hardship and may accept requests or tolerate difficult circumstances to please others. He is more other-motivated than self-motivated.
The phrase is often said ironically and jokingly. Most people have a variety of reasons to persevere despite obstacles, or to invite that pesky brother-in-law over for an afternoon of golf or a critical mom on family vacations. It’s not so much that most people actually crave punishment or a hard time, but many people find that sometimes it’s necessary to face difficult things to make life better for yourself or for others. While the individual may have to listen to the annoying brother-in-law talk non-stop about his work for a few hours, his sister may feel happier. Similarly, taking on another job when an employee is already short on time could make her boss happy, which could benefit him in the long run.
Interestingly, some people seem to become almost gluttonous in their desire to be perceived as martyrs. A true glutton of punishment may want to constantly seem overloaded so as to evoke pity from others, and may take on too much. People may also overload themselves because they have a hard time saying no to people they respect or love. In this case, learning to set boundaries in order not to choose misery to please others is probably a very good idea.
On the other hand, some people actually feel more alive and energized when they are too busy or at least work very hard most of the time. If so, such a person is not really up to the sense of idiom. While working hard is pleasurable, hard work is hardly a punishment.
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