idiom

leave no stone unturned

LEEV noh STOHN un-TURND

liːv noʊ stoʊn ʌnˈtɜːrnd

Listen

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Syllable breakdown

leavenostoneunturned

Dictionary meaning

to make every possible effort; to try every available option in pursuit of a goal; in environmental contexts, often used to describe comprehensive approaches to sustainability or conservation

History and origin

English — from an ancient Greek legend about an oracle at Delphi who advised leaving no stone unturned to find hidden treasure; appears in English from the 16th century

Examples

The climate negotiators left no stone unturned in drafting the final accord.
We need to leave no stone unturned in our search for renewable energy solutions.

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