Home › Glossary › Letter K

Kill two birds with one stone

Idiomatic Phrase
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

To accomplish two goals with a single action, maximizing efficiency.

Detailed Definition
Though violent, this proverb values strategic multitasking. In poetry, it appears in pragmatic advice, political strategy, or ironic commentary on over-optimization. Satirists may critique its utilitarianism; narrative poets show unintended consequences. The avian metaphor, despite cruelty, offers clear visual logic. Modern eco-poets might subvert it—questioning efficiency that harms nature. Its utility lies in compressing complex cause-effect into memorable image, useful in didactic or aphoristic verse exploring resourcefulness versus ethical cost.
Example
Example in poetry:
Eco-poem: “Biking to work kills two birds—saves cash and carbon”; Time-management verse: “Writing at dawn kills two birds: poem done, mind clear for day job”; Parenting hack: “Reading bedtime stories kills two birds—teaches literacy, soothes to sleep”; Efficient activism: “Community garden kills two birds: feeds families, heals soil”.
Additional Notes
Though violent, this proverb values strategic multitasking. In poetry, it appears in pragmatic advice, political strategy, or ironic commentary on over-optimization. Satirists may critique its utilitarianism; narrative poets show unintended consequences. The avian metaphor, despite cruelty, offers clear visual logic. Modern eco-poets might subvert it—questioning efficiency that harms nature. Its utility lies in compressing complex cause-effect into memorable image, useful in didactic or aphoristic verse exploring resourcefulness versus ethical cost in personal or systemic decision-making.
Also Known As
Two for one Achieve two goals at once
Skip to main content