carry coals to Newcastle
verb
Roget 645:
be useless
etc.
adj.;
go a begging
etc.
(redundant)
641;
fail
etc.
732.
seek after impossibilities,
strive after impossibilities;
use vain efforts,
labor in vain,
roll the stone of Sisyphus,
beat the air,
lash the waves,
battre l'eau avec un baton [Fr.],
donner un coup d'epee dans l'eau [Fr.],
fish in the air,
milk the ram,
drop a bucket into an empty well,
sow the sand;
bay the moon;
preach to the winds,
speak to the winds;
whistle jigs to a milestone;
kick against the pricks,
se battre contre des moulins [Fr.];
lock the stable door when the steed is stolen,
lock the barn door after the horse is stolen
etc.
(too late)
135;
hold a farthing candle to the sun;
cast pearls before swine
etc.
(waste)
638;
carry coals to Newcastle
etc.
(redundancy)
641;
wash a blackamoor white
etc.
(impossible)
471.
render useless
etc.
adj.;
dismantle,
dismast,
dismount,
disqualify,
disable;
unrig;
cripple,
lame
etc.
(injure)
659;
spike guns,
clip the wings;
put out of gear.
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Roget 641:
superabound,
overabound†;
know no bounds,
swarm;
meet one at every turn;
creep with,
crawl with,
bristle with;
overflow;
run over,
flow over,
well over,
brim over;
run riot;
overrun,
overstock,
overlay,
overcharge,
overdose,
overfeed,
overburden,
overload,
overdo,
overwhelm,
overshoot the mark
etc.
(go beyond)
303;
surcharge,
supersaturate,
gorge,
glut,
load,
drench,
whelm,
inundate,
deluge,
flood;
drug,
drug the market;
hepatize†.
choke,
cloy,
accloy†,
suffocate;
pile up,
lay on thick;
impregnate with;
lavish
etc.
(squander)
818.
send coals to Newcastle,
carry coals to Newcastle,
carry owls to Athens†;
teach one's grandmother to suck eggs;
pisces natare docere [Lat.];
kill the slain,
gild refined gold,"
gild the lily,"
butter one's bread on both sides,
put butter upon bacon;
employ a steam engine to crack a nut
etc.
(waste)
638.
exaggerate
etc.
549;
wallow in
roll in
etc.
(plenty)
639;
remain on one's hands,
hang heavy on hand,
go a begging.
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