polish a turd en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
-
(idiomatic, vulgar) To work on a time-consuming and ultimately pointless or impossible task; to try to perfect what is inherently bad.
Near-synonym: put lipstick on a pig
Demaso, trying hard to scrub a wall behind one of the toilets, started complaining how dirty the walls in the entire bathroom were. Tripp also chimed in that they were polishing a turd and that what the bathroom needed was a fresh coat of paint.
2006, Michael Fak, Portions of a Life: Recollections and Reflections, page 197:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| polishes a turd | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| polishing a turd | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| polished a turd | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| polished a turd | Tense=Past | lexicographic |
Relateds
Synonyms
Translations (3)
cmn 緣木求魚 /缘木求鱼 (work on a time-consuming and ultimately pointless task) · fi hinkata (work on a time-consuming and ultimately pointless task) · pl z gówna bata nie ukręcisz (work on a time-consuming and ultimately pointless task)