bring owls to athens

Английский Язык - Английский Язык

Определение bring owls to athens в Английский Язык Английский Язык словарь

To undertake a pointless venture, one that is redundant, unnecessary, superfluous, or highly uneconomical

Расстановка переносов

bring owls to Ath·ens

Турецкое произношение

brîng aulz tı äthınz

Синонимы

coals to newcastle

Произношение

/ˈbrəɴɢ ˈoulz tə ˈaᴛʜənz/ /ˈbrɪŋ ˈaʊlz tə ˈæθənz/

Этимология

() A calque of the Ancient Greek proverb γλαῦκ’ εἰς Ἀθήνας (glauk’ eis Athēnās). The owl, which roosted in the rafters of the old Parthenon (the one burnt by Xerxes I), was the symbol of the city of Athens, and was sacred to its patron goddess, Athena. It was featured on Athens’ silver coins, and as Athens both mined its own silver and minted its own coins, bringing owls (either the real birds, or the coins) to Athens would be pointless.