Definitions from the Web
Coal to Newcastle
Definition: A phrase used to describe a pointless or unnecessary action or endeavor, referring to the abundant availability of coal in Newcastle, a city historically associated with coal mining.
Part of Speech
- Noun: He thought selling ice cream in the winter would be like carrying coal to Newcastle.
- Verb: Don't waste your time trying to explain the concept to him; you'd be taking coal to Newcastle.
Sense/Usage
- Sense 1: Referring to a needless or superfluous action.
- Sense 2: Frequently used in business contexts to describe attempting to sell a product or service in a market that is already saturated or where there is no demand.
- Sense 3: Can also be used metaphorically to describe doing something that is already abundantly available or prevalent in a certain place.
Examples
- "Bringing up the topic of politics during a family gathering is like taking coal to Newcastle."
- "Selling more smartphones to this tech-savvy crowd would be coal to Newcastle."
- "Trying to convince him to switch his favorite football team is truly like carrying coal to Newcastle."
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