“Boiling the ocean” means undertaking an impossible task or making a task unnecessarily difficult. The phrase is used in a variety of settings as a negative comment on how one conducts business or projects. The phrase derives from the literal concept of boiling the ocean, which is an impossible task.
What does not boiling the ocean mean?
Everyone in business has heard the warning: “don’t boil the ocean.” In other words, when looking for a solution to a problem, don’t take on too much all at once or make the scope so big that it becomes difficult or even impossible to find an answer.
What does boiling the ocean means?
To boil the ocean, in a business context, is to increase the scope of a project or task until it is practically impossible to accomplish as envisioned. Project management employs a number of mechanisms to keep the scope of projects within reason.
How do you use boil the ocean in a sentence?
If you are trying to boil the ocean, you are attempting to do something that’s impossible or too big, or making something too complex. She criticizes Schwarzenegger for trying to “boil the ocean,” for being too ambitious. If the entire media was more or less like this, this would be like trying to boil the ocean”.
How long would it take for the ocean to boil?
The sun is heating up, and in less than a billion years, it will have heated up enough to boil off our oceans.
What are examples of idioms?
Common Idioms in English
- Getting fired turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
- These red poppies are a dime a dozen.
- Don’t beat around the bush.
- After some reflection, he decided to bite the bullet.
- I’m going to call it a night.
- He’s got a chip on his shoulder.
- Would you cut me some slack? – Don’t be so hard on me.
What is the meaning of idiom face the music?
To accept unpleasant consequences: “After several years of cheating his employer, the embezzler finally had to face the music.”
Will oceans dry up?
While the oceans aren’t expected to dry out any time soon, water scarcity will likely become one of the most pressing issues over the next few decades.
What does left out in the cold mean?
: to leave (someone) in a bad position : to not give (someone) the rights or advantages that are given to others The changes benefit management but leave the workers out in the cold.
What is the meaning of on cloud nine in idioms?
Definition of on cloud nine
informal. : very happy He’s been on cloud nine ever since she agreed to marry him.
Is it possible to boil the ocean?
Because water is thicker than air, it has the ability to absorb a great deal of heat. “The top 2.5 meters [8.2 feet] of the ocean holds the same amount of heat as the entire atmosphere above it,” Hausfather said. So, it’s theoretically possible that Earth’s oceans could get hot enough to start boiling.
How do you use your ear to the ground?
Today’s Phrase
To keep an ear to the ground means to listen or watch out for new information or trends. For example: David had his ear to the ground when it came to news about the latest and best technology to buy. If Susan had kept her ear to the ground, she wouldn’t have missed the opportunity for a promotion.
How do you use snowball effect in a sentence?
Once the video game hit the market, word of mouth caused a snowball effect that made it the most popular and top grossing game of all time. She ignored her debt for so long that now, she’s experiencing a snowball effect that threatens to crush her financially.
What would happen if you boiled the ocean?
Constant rain would turn rivers into torrents, as water rushed back to dry ocean basins, and many areas would flood. If all of the now evaporated water was lost and rain never returned, animal life would perish quickly, with plants dying weeks and months later.
Can the sun dry up the oceans?
“The sun, like all main sequence stars, is getting brighter with time and that affects the Earth’s climate,” says Dr. James F. Kasting, professor of meteorology and geosciences. “Eventually temperatures will become high enough so that the oceans evaporate.”
How old is the ocean?
The ocean formed billions of years ago.
At this time, about 3.8 billion years ago, the water condensed into rain which filled the basins that we now know as our world ocean.
What does spilling the beans mean?
Disclose a secret or reveal something prematurely, as in You can count on little Carol to spill the beans about the surprise. In this colloquial expression, first recorded in 1919, spill means “divulge,” a usage dating from the 1500s.
What is the meaning of its raining cats and dogs?
“Cats and dogs” may come from the Greek expression cata doxa, which means “contrary to experience or belief.” If it is raining cats and dogs, it is raining unusually or unbelievably hard.
Why do they call it getting cold feet?
They got cold feet. ‘ That is they lost courage or enthusiasm. By the early 1900s, the phrase was being used on college campuses, and a few years later, the term `coldfooter’ was applied to those who were afraid to fight in the Great War.
What does if the shoe fits wear it mean?
Definition of if the shoe fits
—used to say that something said or suggested about a person is true and that the person should accept it as true “Are you calling me a cheater?” “Well, if the shoe fits, wear it.”
What does egg on your face mean?
Definition of with egg on one’s face
: appearing foolish usually because something one said would happen has not happened The unexpected election result left a lot of journalists with egg on their faces.
What does hitting the nail on the head mean?
DEFINITION: It means “to do or say something that is exactly right.” You can use this phrase when someone finds the exact answer of a problem or a question. EXAMPLE: “You hit the nail on the head with this color of wallpaper for the living room; it looks better than I expected!”
Is Earth losing oxygen?
It sounds worse than it is: Earth’s atmosphere is steadily losing oxygen. But before you panic and gasp for breath, understand that oxygen levels have only dropped by 0.7 percent over the past 800,000 years. So you don’t have to worry about widespread asphyxiation just yet.
Can the ocean freeze?
Ocean water freezes just like freshwater, but at lower temperatures. Fresh water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit but seawater freezes at about 28.4 degrees Fahrenheit , because of the salt in it. When seawater freezes, however, the ice contains very little salt because only the water part freezes.
Will there be fish in 2050?
The world will be able to catch an additional 10 million metric tons of fish in 2050 if management stays as effective as it is today, says the report. But increasing catches without significantly improving management risks the health of predator species and could destabilize entire ecosystems.
What is eat like a horse?
idiom informal. to always eat a lot of food: She’s so thin, yet she eats like a horse.
What does the phrase black sheep mean?
Definition of black sheep
: a disfavored or disreputable member of a group.
What does it mean to run in circles?
idiom. to keep doing or talking about the same thing without achieving anything: The discussion kept going around in circles. I’ve been running around in circles trying to get all the reports finished before the meeting.
What does it mean when someone says when pigs fly?
Definition of when pigs fly
—used to say that one thinks that something will never happen The train station will be renovated when pigs fly.
What is the meaning of an arm and a leg?
Definition of an arm and a leg
: a very large amount of money It’s a reliable car, and it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.
What is the meaning of it’s a piece of cake?
Definition of piece of cake
: something easily done : cinch, breeze.
How much heat does it take to boil the ocean?
= Energy required to boil the ocean: 5.3 × 10^26 J.
What does ear to the streets mean?
It’s a figurative expression meaning to listen to “what is going on” — by talking to people, gathering information, etc. It doesn’t mean listening to street noise. “The street” in this case simply means the public at large.
What does keep your ear to the grindstone mean?
Definition of keep one’s nose to the grindstone
: to do hard, continuous work You’ll do well at school if you just keep your nose to the grindstone.
Will keep an ear out meaning?
Idiom: keep an ear out (for someone/something)
to actively try to hear something.
What is another word for snowball effect?
What is another word for snowball effect?
| amplification | augmentation |
|---|---|
| compounding | increase |
| multiplication | proliferation |
| vicious circle | virtuous circle |
| expansion | rise |
What means snowball effect?
Definition of snowball effect
: a situation in which one action or event causes many other similar actions or events The city hopes that these improvements will have a snowball effect and spur private investment in the community.
What is the meaning of snowball stories?
Metaphorically, a snowball effect is a process that starts from an initial state of small significance and builds upon itself, becoming larger (graver, more serious), and also perhaps potentially dangerous or disastrous (a vicious circle), though it might be beneficial instead (a virtuous circle).
Does Earth ever lose water?
While our planet as a whole may never run out of water, it’s important to remember that clean freshwater is not always available where and when humans need it. In fact, half of the world’s freshwater can be found in only six countries. More than a billion people live without enough safe, clean water.
How deep is the deepest part of the ocean?
The deepest part of the ocean is called the Challenger Deep and is located beneath the western Pacific Ocean in the southern end of the Mariana Trench, which runs several hundred kilometers southwest of the U.S. territorial island of Guam. Challenger Deep is approximately 10,935 meters (35,876 feet) deep.
Does the ocean ever end?
Those who believe Earth’s oceans are on an evaporation course say they have about 4 billion years left.
Why is the ocean blue?
The ocean is blue because water absorbs colors in the red part of the light spectrum. Like a filter, this leaves behind colors in the blue part of the light spectrum for us to see. The ocean may also take on green, red, or other hues as light bounces off of floating sediments and particles in the water.
Why are oceans salty?
Why is the ocean salty? Rivers discharge mineral-rich water to the oceans. Satellite view of La Plata River discharge to the Atlantic Ocean. One way minerals and salts are deposited into the oceans is from outflow from rivers, which drain the landscape, thus causing the oceans to be salty.
Is there an ocean under the ocean?
Scientists discover an ocean 400 miles beneath our feet that could fill our oceans three times over. After decades of theorizing and searching, scientists are reporting that they’ve finally found a massive reservoir of water in the Earth’s mantle — a reservoir so vast that could fill the Earth’s oceans three times over …
What does a big cheese mean?
Meaning of big cheese in English
an important person in a company or an organization with a lot of influence: He left business school and became a big cheese in the City.
What does thru thick and thin mean?
Definition of through thick and thin
: through many difficult times over a long period She stood by me through thick and thin.
What does having green fingers mean?
to be good at gardening and making plants grow well.
What is the meaning of to bring home the bacon?
Definition of bring home the bacon
informal. : to earn the money that is needed to live He worked hard all week to bring home the bacon for his family.
Is the cat out of the bag meaning?
To disclose a secret: “The mayor’s visit was to be kept strictly confidential, but someone must have let the cat out of the bag, because the airport was swarming with reporters.”
What does the idiom feeling under the weather mean?
Indisposed, unwell: “The day after the big party, Jay had to call in sick, saying he was feeling under the weather.”
What is the meaning of a far cry?
Definition of far cry
1 : a long distance. 2 : something notably different the effects of the new law were a far cry from what was intended.
What does I’m on the fence mean?
Be undecided, not committed, as in I don’t know if I’ll move there; I’m still on the fence, or He’s straddling the fence about the merger.
What does it mean to have 2 left feet?
Definition of two left feet
—used to describe a person who dances badly My wife is a good dancer, but I’ve got two left feet.
What is the meaning of give the cold shoulder?
Definition of the cold shoulder
: cold and unfriendly treatment from a person known to one He got the cold shoulder from his former boss when he saw him at a restaurant.
What is the meaning of at a drop of a hat?
Immediately, without delay, as in We were ready to pack our bags and go on vacation at the drop of a hat. This phrase probably alludes to signaling the start of a race or other contest by dropping a hat. [ Late 1800s]
What is the meaning of drop in the bucket?
A very small quantity, especially one that is too small. For example, These contributions are just a drop in the bucket; the new church wing will cost thousands more.
What does mud on your face mean?
n a request for permission (esp. in the phrase without so much as a by-your-leave) in-your-face. adj. Slang aggressive and confrontational.
What does it mean to throw something in someone’s face?
to reject something that someone has said or done for you in a way that seems very ungrateful or rude. We extended the hand of friendship and you have thrown it back in our faces.
What does egg on your chin mean?
to be very embarrassed because of something you said or did: He told everyone the deal was happening, and if it falls through now he’ll have egg on his face.
What is the meaning of get into hot water?
: a difficult or dangerous situation : trouble entry 1 sense 4 —used with in or into But this poor fellow was always getting into hot water, and if there was a wrong way of doing a thing, was sure to hit upon it.— Richard Henry Dana Jr.
What is the meaning of idiom once in a blue moon?
1. Once in a blue moon: This poetic phrase refers to something extremely rare in occurrence. A blue moon is the term commonly used for a second full moon that occasionally appears in a single month of our solar-based calendars.
What does went out on a limb mean?
In a difficult, awkward, or vulnerable position, as in I lodged a complaint about low salaries, but the people who had supported me left me out on a limb. This expression alludes to an animal climbing out on the limb of a tree and then being afraid or unable to retreat. [ Late 1800s]