boil the ocean
English
editVerb
editboil the ocean (third-person singular simple present boils the ocean, present participle boiling the ocean, simple past and past participle boiled the ocean)
- (figuratively) To undertake an overwhelmingly difficult task or approach to a problem.
- 2010 March 9, “Whitman defines herself as the un-Schwarzenegger”, in ABC News:
- Whitman said she will not try to "boil the ocean" by taking on too much.
Further reading
edit- “boil the ocean” (US) / “boil the ocean” (UK) in Macmillan English Dictionary.