A sledgehammer to crack a nut


The use of excessive resources to overcome a small problem.

Using the air ambulance to get granny to hospital was a sledgehammer to crack a nut. She could walk perfectly well and we only live 200 yards away.

USA.

Widely used.

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.