verb phrase🎓 English idiom

kill two birds with one stone

to solve two problems with one action

What it means

To achieve two aims or solve two problems with a single action or effort. It is used to highlight an efficient choice that saves time or resources.

Examples

  • I'll visit the bank and post the letter, killing two birds with one stone.
  • By cycling to work, she kills two birds with one stone: fitness and savings.
  • We can kill two birds with one stone by holding the meeting over lunch.
  • Teaching abroad let him kill two birds with one stone, earning money and travelling.

Where it comes from

The expression has been used in English since the 17th century, with an early instance recorded around 1656. The literal image of felling two birds with a single thrown stone represents remarkable efficiency.

Related idioms

#the best of both worlds#go the extra mile#the whole nine yards#leave no stone unturned

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