coals to Newcastle

English

Etymology

Newcastle upon Tyne and Newcastle, New South Wales were major coal-exporting cities, so sending coal there would be pointless.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Noun

coals to Newcastle pl (plural only)

1. (idiomatic) A pointless venture, in the sense of sending something to a place where it is made, or where they already have an abundance.
   • 1935, attributed to King George V of the United Kingdom (but possibly a then-circulating joke; see wikiquote):

     No more coals to Newcastle, no more Hoares to Paris.

   Synonym: owls to Athens

Related terms

• carry coals to Newcastle

Further reading

• coals to Newcastle on Wikipedia.Wikipedia