4

What does the phrase "(to) squeeze water from a stone" mean?

Have you ever squeezed water from a stone?

1

7 Answers 7

10

The normal expression is like getting blood from a stone, used to convey the difficulty of extracting something from someone or something that is reluctant to yield it.

3
  • 1
    Often used in conversations like, "You owe me $100!" "Hey man, it's like getting blood from a stone." Meaning, I don't have any money, squeeze all you like, you won't get anything.
    – Jay
    Dec 7, 2011 at 21:16
  • I'd say also, conveys a wasted effort, but I'm not a native speaker, correct me if I'm wrong.
    – stivlo
    Dec 8, 2011 at 4:44
  • 1
    It is wasted effort, but the expression is not used to meant that. The emphais is on the difficulty of the operation. Dec 8, 2011 at 7:43
4

I agree with Barrie (+1) that the most usual idiom is blood from a stone. Water from a stone is likely a malformation of the standard idiom. There may also be regional differences. For example, I've also heard "blood from a turnip".

2

There is also a fairytale about a giant slayer who challenges a giant in a feat of strength — to squeeze water from a stone. The giant picks up a boulder and squeezes with all his might but cannot produce water. The 'giant slayer' (I believe he was just an unfortunate shoemaker who was elected to confront the giant) produces a yellow stone and squeezes it with visible effort, and at last a few drops of water drop to the floor. The giant concedes and leaves the town alone, the 'slayer' returning to a heroes welcome.

The yellow stone is, in fact, the cheese he packed for lunch.

1
2

Exodus chapter 17, verse 6 reads- "I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.

The idea of getting water from a stone is an unreasonable idea. I think the meaning behind this verse is that it is such a tremendous feat, and yet God could accomplish it with a single strike.

This may not be exactly the meaning you were looking for, but nobody else mentioned it, and I do believe it is supporting evidence of the phrases true meaning.

2
  • yeah i was wondering why there weren't other answers mentioning this. nice.
    – BCLC
    Mar 1, 2021 at 21:56
  • God knew where the guelta was (or moved it). Mar 10, 2021 at 15:52
0

An idiom similar to many others like "struggling to make (both) ends meet" but with a sense of exasperation, or resignation.

Depending on the author's creativity and the context, the expression generally means:

  • managing to extract whatever little that is practically possible from a situation/ from something.
  • make the most of a situation
  • realization of the futility of trying to benefit from a situation or from something

Lisa Romano:

Squeezing Water From a Stone: How to Get More From Existing Capacity and Add More to Your Bottom Line

Brown Advisory Briefings:

Brown Advisory Briefings: Squeezing Water from a Stone

See also:
http://jasongrant.squarespace.com/jason-grant-blog/2010/12/21/you-cannot-squeeze-water-from-a-stone.html
http://www.vahistoryexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Squeezing-Water.pdf
http://briandeutsch.blogspot.in/2007/11/trying-to-squeeze-water-from-stone.html

2
  • I like the examples. Can you cite some reliable sources that support your actual claim about what the idiom means: respected reference works, for example.
    – MetaEd
    Jun 5, 2013 at 15:31
  • As of posting the answer, no definitions were found. Usage examples were convincing enough to hypothesize.
    – Kris
    Jun 6, 2013 at 8:36
0

The idiom 'water from a stone" is correct, meaning a result cannot be produced from a given set of circumstances. Similar, but separate from the idiom, "blood from a turnip."

0

it means that it is going to take a long time and a lot of hard work

3
  • 2
    What is the it that is going to take a long time? One line answers are usually seen as low quality, so you should expand your anwser. Mar 10, 2021 at 15:47
  • 1
    @KillingTime But that would take a long time and a lot of hard work. Mar 10, 2021 at 15:53
  • It is a very succinct answer. But if it's not obvious why that's the answer, no amount of explanatory expansion of the answer is likely to improve things. After all, it's a very pithy (lithy?) aphorism, with a ... well, a very pithy meaning. Mar 18, 2021 at 0:27

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.