English Idioms
Comprehensive resource for understanding and mastering English idioms
Kill two birds with one stone
Meaning
The idiom "kill two birds with one stone" means to achieve two goals or objectives with a single action. It is a figurative expression that suggests a person or thing can accomplish more than one task at the same time, thereby saving time and effort. The phrase is often used to describe situations where people need to prioritize their actions or make choices that will benefit them in multiple ways.
Usage
- By attending the networking event tonight, she hopes to kill two birds with one stone - make new connections and learn about potential job opportunities.
- The company is planning to launch a new product that will help them kill two birds with one stone by increasing sales and reducing costs.
- After the failed experiment, the scientist had to start over but was determined to kill two birds with one stone by learning from their mistakes and improving their research methodology.
- The student decided to study for two exams at once in order to kill two birds with one stone and reduce their workload.
- By visiting the museum on the same day as the art exhibit, she hoped to kill two birds with one stone and satisfy her cultural curiosity.
Roots and History
The origin of the idiom "kill two birds with one stone" is not entirely clear. However, it may have roots in the idea of hunting or fishing, where one can often catch multiple fish or birds with a single action. The phrase has been in use since at least the 17th century and has evolved to include metaphorical situations beyond just hunting or fishing.
Synonyms in English
- Have your cake and eat it too
- Multi-tasking
- Killing two rabbits with one stone
- Achieving multiple objectives
- Getting the best of both worlds
Synonyms in other languages
- Japanese - 複習 (Fūji) - to do two things at once
- French - faire deux choses à la fois - to do two things at once
- German - zwei Vögeln mit einem Stein fangen - to catch two birds with one stone
- Spanish - matar dos pajeros con una piedra - to kill two birds with one stone
- Italian - uccidere due uccelli con una pietra - to kill two birds with one stone