a sledgehammer to crack a nut

use a sledgehammer to crack a nut

To use excessive, overcomplicated, or extravagant means or force to accomplish something relatively minor or simple. With this new system of issuing licenses, the government is using a sledgehammer to crack a nut: four separate departments now handle each stage of an application, when a single department could easily process applications from start to finish.

a sledgehammer to crack a nut

BRITISH

If someone uses a sledgehammer to crack a nut, they use methods to solve a problem that are far more extreme than is necessary. The widespread campaign by the government to reduce childhood obesity is, she says, using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Bankers say that the proposed law is a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Note: People sometimes replace sledgehammer with hammer. Robbins's film takes a large hammer to crack a familiar nut. Compare with be breaking a butterfly on a wheel. Note: A sledgehammer is a large heavy hammer which is used for smashing rocks and concrete.

词组	a sledgehammer to crack a nut
释义	a sledgehammer to crack a nut use a sledgehammer to crack a nut To use excessive, overcomplicated, or extravagant means or force to accomplish something relatively minor or simple. With this new system of issuing licenses, the government is using a sledgehammer to crack a nut: four separate departments now handle each stage of an application, when a single department could easily process applications from start to finish. See also: crack, nut, sledgehammer, use Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. a sledgehammer to crack a nut BRITISH If someone uses a sledgehammer to crack a nut, they use methods to solve a problem that are far more extreme than is necessary. The widespread campaign by the government to reduce childhood obesity is, she says, using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Bankers say that the proposed law is a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Note: People sometimes replace sledgehammer with hammer. Robbins's film takes a large hammer to crack a familiar nut. Compare with be breaking a butterfly on a wheel. Note: A sledgehammer is a large heavy hammer which is used for smashing rocks and concrete. See also: crack, nut, sledgehammer Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. See also: kill a fly with an elephant gun employ a steam engine to crack a nut engine take a sledgehammer to crack a nut use a sledgehammer to crack a nut group a committee is a group of men who keep minutes and waste hours no expense is spared spare no expense spare no expense/pains/trouble doing something References in periodicals archive I think we both agreed this was using a sledgehammer to crack a nut." Prince on EU herbal medicine regulations "Many people see it as a step too far and the question is 'Is it a sledgehammer to crack a nut?' Is there another way we could be doing this? Child safety measure is a 'blunt instrument'
随便看	spender spenders spend for spending money spend like a sailor (on (shore) leave) spend money like a drunken sailor spend money like it's going out of style spend money like there's no tomorrow spend money like water spend on spend (some amount of time) in (some place) spend (something) for (something) spend (something) on (someone or something) spend the night spend the night with somebody/together spend the rest of (one's) days spend the rest of (one's) life spend time in spendy spent spew spew guts spew (one's) guts (out) spew one’s guts spew one’s guts out