Two Birds, One Stone (Yet Fruit is Still Achievable) 🐦🪨
“To kill two birds with one stone” may suggest extreme skill, but if you actually tried it literally, you’d likely just end up missing both birds and possibly spraining a wrist. This saying emerged from Roman times but gained traction in the English language around the 1600s. Thomas Hobbes wrote, “T. H. thinks to kill two birds with one stone, and satisfy two arguments with one answer” (Liberty, 1656). John Ray suggested a more feasible—but less catchy—alternative: to “kill two flies with one flap,” but that’s just buzz about nothing.
Related Terms & Synonyms
- Achieving two goals in one effort
- Seizing two carrots with one hare 🥕🐇
- Hitting two targets with one arrow 🏹
- Getting a double whammy 🎯🎯
Antonyms
- Missing two turns at once 🚧
- Killing no birds, and scaring the cat 🐱
- Failing doubly 🤦♂️
Humor-Filled Quote
“I once tried to kill two birds with one stone and ended up creating an extremely confused squirrel.” —Slippery Sam, Renowned Cliché Critic
Proverbs and Expressions
- “One fell swoop” – implies accomplishing multiple tasks at one go.
- “Double whammy” – less violent sounding but means achieving two harmful effects (you hope for positive ones, though).
Intriguing Literature
- The Pagan’s Progress by Thomas Hobbes: Features the quoted usage.
- The Revenger’s Tragedy by Thomas Middleton: Where multitasking meets dark humor.
Songs, Poetry, and Movies 📚🎵🎬
- Song: “Two Birds” by Regina Spektor – An enchanting lyrical play that also talks about goals and limitations.
- Poetry: The Task by William Cowper: Contemplates on multitasking in coundless lines.
- Movie: The Pursuit of Happyness – Will Smith’s character epitomizes achieving numerous life solutions in a single stride.
Intriguing Titles
- 🎯 Double Targets, One Arrow: Multitasking in Literature and Life
- 🍎 Two Apples, One Pie: Culinary Talks on Optimizing Effort
- 🔥 Two Birds, One Flame: Spread More with Less
And, remember, while we might aim to kill two birds with one stone, it’s just fine if we walk away whistling with at least one feather in our caps. Happy proverbial hunting!
- Penelope Quirkworthy, October 2, 2023
