employ a steam engine to crack a nut
employ a steam engine 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 has employed a steam engine 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, employ, engine, nut, steam
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
- kill a fly with an elephant gun
- a sledgehammer 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