IdiomDaily Life
English
Englisha day late and a dollar short
Meaning: Too late and not enough to be useful.
Example: “The rescue plan came a day late and a dollar short; the factory had already closed.”
Origin: An American expression of the 20th century. Its first use has not been traced.
Other ways to say this
Korean: 소 잃고 외양간 고친다 (So ilkko oeyanggan gochinda) Literally: Fix the barn after losing the cow
Polish: Musztarda po obiedzie Literally: Mustard after dinner
Persian: نوشدارو بعد از مرگ سهراب (Nushdaroo ba'd az marg-e Sohraab) Literally: The remedy after Sohrab's death
Czech: Přijít s křížkem po funuse Literally: To come with a little cross after the funeral
French: Arriver comme les carabiniers Literally: To arrive like the carabineers- English: shut the stable door after the horse has bolted
More English idioms
- kick against the pricks To resist authority or fate in a way that only hurts oneself.
- hell for leather As fast as possible.
- buy a pig in a poke To buy something without examining it first.
- a Trojan horse Something that seems harmless but hides a threat inside.
- drain the cup to the dregs To endure a hardship or humiliation to the very end.
- the icing on the cake An extra good thing added to something already good.
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