Meaning of two birds—one stone | Babel Free

Definitions

Phrase. [C1]

Examples

““Why not come with me?” suggested the criminal with his pleasant smile. “You’ll be calling on these fellows, anyhow. Two birds—one stone.””

“TWO BIRDS—ONE STONE / When a motorist buys a storage battery for his new radio set there is no reason why his automobile should not still be in the back of his head. The battery folk put up a little neater outfit for radio use, but a storage battery is unsightly in any event, so why not buy a regular automobile bettery^([sic]) and hide it behind the furniture? Get a battery that will do for your car.”

“Margery batted an eye and took thought. She had to explain that unguarded “Oo-oo-h!” and she wanted to get the corporal out of the way for a few minutes. Two birds—one stone—”

“TWO BIRDS—ONE STONE. Now that my boy’s vacation is over he won’t go back to school, having had a glorious time working in a garage learning the business. What do you suggest? DISAPPOINTED DAD. Answer—Ask the superintendent of schools whether he has a part-time system. If so your boy can work in the garage for part time and go to school part time. This will be killing two birds with one stone—the first bird being a normal and natural desire which boys have at that age to get out into the workaday world, and the second bird being, satisfying the need for education which too late he will realize he had missed.”

“TWO BIRDS—ONE STONE / The Minneapolis, Minnesota, club, as one of its major wartime activities, is supplying postcards for servicemen. The cards show scenes in Minneapolis and carry the Kiwanis emblem on the front. Costs were shaved to a minimum with the cooperation of members in the printing business.”

“Two Birds—One Stone: All counselors realize the urgent need for orientation of new pupils. New teachers in a school—especially if they are inexperienced teachers—have just as urgent a need for orientation.”

“Anson Bolda put the Chicago letter in his pocket, tucked the gun under his belt, and carried the electronic eavesdropper from the hotel room. The pink convertible was waiting in the hotel parking lot, its engine still warm, but Bolda didn’t take the time to check it out for hidden bugs. If the fat shadow was again following him, two birds—one stone.”

“Scores of Protestants, led by the likes of the Reverend Lyman Beecher and the famous inventor Samuel F. B. Morse, quickly saw a new reason for expanding the Protestant school system. It would not only help civilize street urchins, but also overcome the heresies of the Catholic church. Indeed, where Irish settled, the “two birds—one stone” theory clearly applied.”

“Two birds—one stone / It is not clear why farmers did not see the logic of the Comfortractor. Maybe they did, but felt about a tractor-car combination as their wives would have felt about a washing machine that churns butter.”

“Two Birds—One Stone / When doing live sound reinforcement, the biggest problems arise from people speaking either too closely or too far away from the microphones. […] You can reduce the problem by creating some 4″ x 6″ cards, similar to the one shown, and handing them out to anyone who will be using the microphones, or placing them on the podium where the mic is located. While you are at it, make sure to include the name of your company, with your phone number and a brief list of the services you offer. In the corporate world, chances are good that these cards will circulate and bring you additional jobs.”

“Look, I can hold out against her. She’ll be mad. But there won’t be anything she can do. Maybe she’ll be so mad she’ll want to get rid of me and let me go and live in St. John’s. Two birds—one stone.”

CEFR level