proverb · Words worth keeping
Like carrying coals to Newcastle.
Like carrying coals to Newcastle.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Providing something where it is already plentiful may be redundant or poorly matched to the need. The familiar comparison questions the usefulness of an addition, without establishing present conditions in Newcastle or making every surplus worthless.
Example
A workshop receives another box of identical blank labels when it already has plenty, while the organisers still need volunteers to sort the materials.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The destination is imagined as already having the very resource being carried there. That makes the journey seem unnecessary, because the contribution does not answer a shortage. Figuratively, the phrase can describe offering more of what a group already has while overlooking what is actually missing. No historical origin or current local supply is asserted here. An apparently redundant addition might still have a distinct quality, timing or purpose, so the image should not replace an assessment. The useful question asks what need is unmet and whether the proposed contribution addresses it rather than assuming that supplying more is inherently helpful.
When to use it
Use it when a proposed contribution repeats an existing abundance instead of meeting the need.
Keep in mind
Check actual requirements; the comparison does not establish current local conditions or rule out a distinct useful contribution.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown
- Culture
- English