square the circle

To solve, or attempt to solve, an impossible (or seemingly impossible) problem or situation. I'm not sure what to tell you, but if you take that issue to the boss, I bet he'll be able to square the circle.

See also: circle, square

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

square the circle

Try to do the impossible, as in Getting that bill through the legislature is the same as trying to square the circle. This idiom alludes to the impossibility of turning a circle into a square. John Donne may have been the first to use it ( Sermons, 1624): "Go not thou about to square either circle (God or thyself)."

See also: circle, square

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

square the circle

COMMON If you try to square the circle, you try to solve a problem that seems to be impossible to solve. All have the same hope: that foreign markets and, especially, foreign investment will somehow provide enough jobs to square the circle.

See also: circle, square

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

square the circle

do something that is considered to be impossible.

In its literal sense, square the circle means ‘construct a square equal in area to a given circle’. Since this problem is incapable of a purely geometrical solution, the phrase has developed a more general application and is used to refer to an attempt to do something impossible.

See also: circle, square

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

square the ˈcircle

(try to) do something that is or seems impossible: The Government is trying to square the circle when it says it will spend more on the health service without raising taxes.This is a mathematical task that was considered impossible, involving making a square exactly equal in area to a particular circle.

See also: circle, square

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

See also:

a hard egg to crack
a hard nut (to crack)
a hard/tough nut
a tough nut
hard nut to crack
as (something) as the next man/woman/person
as as the next man
as good, well, etc. as the next person
as the next person
last-ditch effort

References in periodicals archive

Skilfully plotted as seemingly innocuous thoughts and descriptions return to help square the circle, come the dramatic denouement, former footballer and rock star Nesbo also uses the vast, cold landscapes of Norway to excellent effect in building dread and deepening this well-crafted mystery.

Knife by Jo Nesbo; bookclub with HEATHER SUTTIE Do you have a book review or would you like me to review a book you've enjoyed? Please get in touch at DRBOOKCLUB@dailyrecord.co.uk or tweet @blondi_SOS

DEAR Editor, Can someone please square the circle for me surrounding the need to make our city a clean air zone and the heralding of more steam train services in and around Birmingham?

Steam surprise in clean air zone; Letters

As he tries to square the circle of the public finances, this is bad Philip Hammond news to Chancellor Philip Hammond.

CIENTIFIC advice about alcohol ranges [...]

I don't have to square the circle of conflicting foreign policy objectives or pretend interests or pretend no interests,' said Mr Baum.

EU envoy leaves Botswana happy man

He said: "I find it difficult to square the circle of having a customs partnership which is very like the union we have now but at the same time Britain engaging in trade deals with third parties.

No Brexit cliff edge says Leo

Might it be she really doesn't know, cannot square the circle of freedom of movement and access to the single market?

Too many cliches but where are policies?

The Swiss government is trying to square the circle of implementing a cut in EU immigration decided upon in a 2014 referendum without rendering an economically important set of treaties with the 28-country bloc void.

Swiss lawmakers approve solution to EU immigration dispute

And when we hear the majority of hospitals are in deficit we realise that to square the circle in the NHS has gone from extremely difficult to almost mission impossible.

Give us GPs the funds we need

This realistic attitude will put Obama at odds with those who back his earlier tough position on Al Assad in both the US and abroad, but it follows on a recent statement by US Secretary John Kerry, in which he sought to square the circle by agreeing that Al Assad must go, but by being deliberately vague on when that would be required.

Obama and Putin need to cooperate

For two years, the discretionary housing fund has been used to square the circle for the most vulnerable.

Remove the curse of bedroom tax

Attempts to "square the circle" yield a parade of more exact calculations through history to Shiguro Kondo's calculation of pi's trillionth decimal place in 2011 using a home computer.

The Biography of Numbers

Vague council in-house talk about now departed souls, and mere promises of no more cover-ups, do not square the circle.

A need to name names

"With enterprises under constant pressure to do more with less, CIO's need to 'square the circle' by delivering cost savings, providing new solutions to drive the business and meeting user expectations of their client devices -- and they need to do it fast," said Antoine Harb, Business Development Manager, Kingston Technology.

SSD cost to fall by 50%, says Kingston

"You can square the circle of having really good people not on telephone number salaries and massive built-in bonuses," he told the programme.

9,000 earning more than PM; TV PROBE REVEALS SALARIES OVER pounds 142,500

词组	square the circle
释义	square the circle square the circle To solve, or attempt to solve, an impossible (or seemingly impossible) problem or situation. I'm not sure what to tell you, but if you take that issue to the boss, I bet he'll be able to square the circle. See also: circle, square Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. square the circle Try to do the impossible, as in Getting that bill through the legislature is the same as trying to square the circle. This idiom alludes to the impossibility of turning a circle into a square. John Donne may have been the first to use it ( Sermons, 1624): "Go not thou about to square either circle (God or thyself)." See also: circle, square The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. square the circle COMMON If you try to square the circle, you try to solve a problem that seems to be impossible to solve. All have the same hope: that foreign markets and, especially, foreign investment will somehow provide enough jobs to square the circle. See also: circle, square Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. square the circle do something that is considered to be impossible. In its literal sense, square the circle means ‘construct a square equal in area to a given circle’. Since this problem is incapable of a purely geometrical solution, the phrase has developed a more general application and is used to refer to an attempt to do something impossible. See also: circle, square Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary square the ˈcircle (try to) do something that is or seems impossible: The Government is trying to square the circle when it says it will spend more on the health service without raising taxes.This is a mathematical task that was considered impossible, involving making a square exactly equal in area to a particular circle. See also: circle, square Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary See also: a hard egg to crack a hard nut (to crack) a hard/tough nut a tough nut hard nut to crack as (something) as the next man/woman/person as as the next man as good, well, etc. as the next person as the next person last-ditch effort References in periodicals archive Skilfully plotted as seemingly innocuous thoughts and descriptions return to help square the circle, come the dramatic denouement, former footballer and rock star Nesbo also uses the vast, cold landscapes of Norway to excellent effect in building dread and deepening this well-crafted mystery. Knife by Jo Nesbo; bookclub with HEATHER SUTTIE Do you have a book review or would you like me to review a book you've enjoyed? Please get in touch at DRBOOKCLUB@dailyrecord.co.uk or tweet @blondi_SOS DEAR Editor, Can someone please square the circle for me surrounding the need to make our city a clean air zone and the heralding of more steam train services in and around Birmingham? Steam surprise in clean air zone; Letters As he tries to square the circle of the public finances, this is bad Philip Hammond news to Chancellor Philip Hammond. CIENTIFIC advice about alcohol ranges [...] I don't have to square the circle of conflicting foreign policy objectives or pretend interests or pretend no interests,' said Mr Baum. EU envoy leaves Botswana happy man He said: "I find it difficult to square the circle of having a customs partnership which is very like the union we have now but at the same time Britain engaging in trade deals with third parties. No Brexit cliff edge says Leo Might it be she really doesn't know, cannot square the circle of freedom of movement and access to the single market? Too many cliches but where are policies? The Swiss government is trying to square the circle of implementing a cut in EU immigration decided upon in a 2014 referendum without rendering an economically important set of treaties with the 28-country bloc void. Swiss lawmakers approve solution to EU immigration dispute And when we hear the majority of hospitals are in deficit we realise that to square the circle in the NHS has gone from extremely difficult to almost mission impossible. Give us GPs the funds we need This realistic attitude will put Obama at odds with those who back his earlier tough position on Al Assad in both the US and abroad, but it follows on a recent statement by US Secretary John Kerry, in which he sought to square the circle by agreeing that Al Assad must go, but by being deliberately vague on when that would be required. Obama and Putin need to cooperate For two years, the discretionary housing fund has been used to square the circle for the most vulnerable. Remove the curse of bedroom tax Attempts to "square the circle" yield a parade of more exact calculations through history to Shiguro Kondo's calculation of pi's trillionth decimal place in 2011 using a home computer. The Biography of Numbers Vague council in-house talk about now departed souls, and mere promises of no more cover-ups, do not square the circle. A need to name names "With enterprises under constant pressure to do more with less, CIO's need to 'square the circle' by delivering cost savings, providing new solutions to drive the business and meeting user expectations of their client devices -- and they need to do it fast," said Antoine Harb, Business Development Manager, Kingston Technology. SSD cost to fall by 50%, says Kingston "You can square the circle of having really good people not on telephone number salaries and massive built-in bonuses," he told the programme. 9,000 earning more than PM; TV PROBE REVEALS SALARIES OVER pounds 142,500
随便看	by no stretch of the imagination by numbers BYO BYOB BYOM by one's bootstraps by (oneself) by oneself by (one's) fingertips by (one's) lights by (one's) (own) bootstraps by (one's) own fair hand(s) by (one's) own hand by (one's) wits by one's wits by/on/under false pretences by ourselves BYOW by popular demand by reason of by request by return by return mail by return mail and by return post by return (of post)