Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

coals to newcastle

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.95 in modern English

Syllables
coal-s -to new-cas-tle
IPA
23
Scrabble Score
16
Letters
5
Syllables
9
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A pointless venture, in the sense of sending something to a place where it is made, or where they already have an abundance.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From the importance of Newcastle upon Tyne to the English coal industry.

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

owls to Athens

Questions

What does coals to newcastle mean?
A pointless venture, in the sense of sending something to a place where it is made, or where they already have an abundance.
Where does coals to newcastle come from?
From the importance of Newcastle upon Tyne to the English coal industry.

How to pronounce coals to newcastle

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “coals to newcastle”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “coals to newcastle”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “coals to newcastle” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.