
ProverbWisdom
English origin1583
Like carrying coals to Newcastle.
Meaning: Supplying something to a place already abundant in it wastes effort and resources foolishly.
Origin: Newcastle upon Tyne was England's great coal port from the Middle Ages, shipping coal down the coast to London and beyond. Taking coal there was the height of pointlessness. The first record is in the diary of the Scottish reformer James Melvill in 1583, who used "coals to Newcastle" to translate the ancient Greek "owls to Athens."
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
- 東京特許許可局 (Tōkyō tokkyo kyokakyoku) A machine-gun of 'kyo' / 'kyoku' sounds.
- Si six scies scient six cyprès, six cents scies scient six cents cyprès. An 's' / 'si' minefield.
- 赤パジャマ黄パジャマ茶パジャマ (Aka pajama, ki pajama, cha pajama) A rapid-fire drill on colour words; the syllable shift from aka/ki/cha trips the tongue b…
Keep exploring