Back to the drawing board

Meaning

The idiom "back to the drawing board" means starting over, going back to the beginning of a project or task, or having to reconsider an idea because it didn't work out as planned. It can also imply frustration or disappointment when plans don't go as expected.

Usage

• After months of planning the launch of their new product, the company realized they had to go back to the drawing board and revise their strategy.
• When her presentation didn't receive the positive feedback she had hoped for, Sarah felt like she was back to the drawing board and had to rethink her approach.
• The construction crew had to go back to the drawing board after they discovered a mistake in their blueprints.
• After several failed attempts at finding a suitable location for their new store, the entrepreneurs were forced to go back to the drawing board and start again.
• When the negotiation fell apart at the last minute, both parties knew they had to go back to the drawing board and come up with a new plan.

Roots and History

The idiom "back to the drawing board" has its roots in the ancient Greek practice of sketching multiple designs on a single sheet of paper before selecting the best one. If a design was deemed unsatisfactory, it would be discarded and another design would take its place. The same concept applies today when plans don't go as expected and people have to reconsider their options.

Synonyms in English

• Back to square one
• Starting over from scratch
• Going back to the drawing board
• Back to the beginning
• Starting all over again

Synonyms in other languages

• In Spanish: "A la izquierda de cero" (meaning "back to zero")
• In French: "Retour au départ" (meaning "go back to the beginning")
• In Italian: "Riprendere le parti" (meaning "start over from scratch")
• In German: "Zurück in den Anfang" (meaning "back to the beginning")
• In Russian: "Начать заново" (meaning "start anew")

Similar Idioms

• blind date

• an item

• better half