proverb · Words worth keeping
You may as well bid me lade the sea with a nutshell.
You may as well bid me lade the sea with a nutshell.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The task is presented as far beyond the means supplied for it. Emptying the sea with a nutshell makes the mismatch vivid, without proving that every demanding request is impossible or that nothing useful can be done.
Example
A volunteer asked to catalogue an entire collection in one afternoon explains the workload and agrees a smaller first section with an appropriate follow-up plan.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The sea supplies an enormous quantity, while the nutshell supplies a very small means of removing it. Figuratively, a request can be unrealistic when the available time, tools or help bear little relation to its scope. A useful response names that mismatch and asks whether the task can be reduced, divided or properly supported. The saying expresses an objection, not an exact calculation of feasibility. It should not replace an examination of the actual requirements or dismiss a modest contribution merely because it cannot complete everything. Its point is to make the relationship between the requested result and the supplied means visible.
When to use it
Use it when the means offered do not plausibly fit the requested scope.
Keep in mind
Check the actual requirements; a reduced task or additional support may make useful progress possible.
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