IdiomDaily Life
English
Englishuse a sledgehammer to crack a nut
Meaning: To use far more force than a small problem needs.
Example: “Suing the neighbor over a hedge is using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.”
Origin: A heavy hammer for a tiny nut. The British phrase is common from the 20th century.
Equivalents in other languages
Thai: ขี่ช้างจับตั๊กแตน Literally: To ride an elephant to catch a grasshopper
More English idioms
- a monkey's wedding A sunshower, when rain falls while the sun shines.
- off one's trolley Crazy or foolish.
- as scarce as hen's teeth Extremely rare.
- have a big mouth To talk too much, especially about things that should be kept secret.
- like a headless chicken In a frantic, disorganized way.
- a bundle of nerves A very anxious or nervous person.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
- Pad kid poured curd pulled cod. Alternating repetition — the consonants swap at the start of every other word, which is w…
- Red lorry, yellow lorry. The 'l/r' alternation drill — deceptively short, yet almost impossible to say fast withou…
- How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? A 'w/ch/ck' drill that accelerates comically — and nobody really knows the answer.
Keep exploring