Well attestedNamed from the place
sell coal to Newcastle
verb · first attested 19th century
The Tyne imports coal now, which rather ruins the joke.
To try to sell something where it is already plentiful; a commercially pointless errand.
Newcastle upon Tyne·United Kingdom
54.9778°N -1.6133°W · Q1425428
Record
- Relationship
- Named from the place
- Confidence
- Well attestedThe place link is the standard scholarly account.
- Attested
- 19th century
- Part of speech
- verb
Explanations here are written for this atlas. Dictionary text is not copied; the sources are linked so the claim can be checked.
- Step 1
Newcastle upon Tyne
- In English
sell coal to Newcastle
This is a later commercial turn on the older proverb about carrying coals to Newcastle, aimed at the salesman instead of the porter. Once the northeastern pits closed, coal began arriving on the Tyne by ship, so the supposedly absurd errand has in fact been run.
Also pinned to Newcastle upon Tyne
2 more from the same place
United Kingdom
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