Failure - Fruitlessness

Dive into English idioms regarding fruitlessness, like "wild goose chase" and "boil the ocean".

review

flashcard

spelling

quiz

start-learning

to [bring|carry] owls to Athens [phrase]

to put effort into doing something unproductive and completely unnecessary

Ex: Trying to impress a group of musicians with your musical talent is like bringing owls to Athens - they already have plenty of talented musicians .

to [carry|take] coals to Newcastle [phrase]

to undertake something that is pointless

Ex: Introducing a new dance move to a group of professional dancers is like carrying coals to Newcastle - they already have plenty of moves .

to [chase] rainbows [phrase]

to pursue a goal or aspiration that is unrealistic or unlikely to be achieved

Ex: He spent years chasing rainbows , pursuing a career in acting despite having little talent and few opportunities .

to [be|go] for naught [phrase]

to completely fail to produce the intended or expected effect

Ex: The team 's hard work and dedication went for naught when they lost the championship game .

to [come] to nothing [phrase]

to fail to achieve the desired results

Ex: Despite their best efforts , the negotiations with the other company came to nothing .

down the drain [phrase]

used to refer to something, such as a chance, idea, etc., that has been completely wasted or neglected

Ex: The money spent on the renovation project was all down the drain when the contractor did n't finish the work .

to [fall] on stony ground [phrase]

to fail to produce or achieve the desired result

Ex: His proposal for a new project fell on stony ground when no one was interested in investing .

to [go|get] nowhere [phrase]

to fail to achieve success despite the attempts made

Ex: He 'll get nowhere with her , he 's too young .

in circles [phrase]

with no success achieved or no progress made

Ex:

to [milk] (the|a) (bull|ram) [phrase]

to engage in a fruitless or pointless activity

Ex: The project team is milking the ram by focusing on minor details instead of addressing the major issues .

to [pay] too dearly for {one's} whistle [phrase]

to waste too much money, resources, or effort on doing something that proves to be unfulfilling in the end

Ex: The athlete is risking injury by pushing themselves too hard in training - they may end up paying too dearly for their whistle .

wild goose chase [phrase]

a pursuit or search for something that is unlikely to produce any useful result

Ex: The team spent weeks on a wild goose chase trying to find a solution to the problem , only to realize that it was caused by a simple error .

wise after the event [phrase]

to come to realize what could have been done to prevent something bad from happening after it has already happened

Ex: The team is being criticized for their decision , but it 's important to remember that we 're all wise after the event .

to [boil] the ocean [phrase]

to make an attempt to achieve something that seems extremely difficult or even impossible

Ex: The team is spending too much time on minor details instead of focusing on the bigger picture - they 're boiling the ocean .

to [wave] a dead chicken [phrase]

to engage in a futile or meaningless action in an attempt to resolve a problem or accomplish a task

Ex: I 've been trying to get her to listen to me , but it 's like waving a dead chicken .

to [put] (a|) lipstick on a pig [phrase]

to make a fruitless attempt in order to make something look more beautiful or successful

Ex: The team was trying to salvage a failing project by making superficial changes , but it was just putting a lipstick on a pig - the project was still doomed to fail .

to [whistle] in the wind [phrase]

to make a fruitless attempt to solve a problem

Ex: The protestors are shouting slogans , but it 's like whistling in the wind - the government is unlikely to respond to their demands .

to [argue] the toss [phrase]

to disagree with or continue arguing about a decision that is already made

Ex: The team was arguing the toss over the color scheme of the website , even though it was a minor issue that would n't affect its functionality .

Failure
Resulting in Failure	Experiencing Failure	Lost in the Game	Wastefulness
Fruitlessness	Deterioration	Defamation & Unpopularity	Defeat
Game Over	Lose or Win	Mistakes & Poor Performance