Well attestedNamed from the place
sell coals to Newcastle
verb · first attested 17th century
Newcastle now imports its coal, which rather finishes the joke.
To take something to a place that already has an abundance of it.
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
- 17th 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 coals to Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne shipped coal down the east coast to London for centuries, making it the obvious place where nobody needed any more. The Tyne pits are closed and coal now arrives by sea, so the proverb has outlived the trade that made it self-evident.
Also pinned to Newcastle upon Tyne
2 more from the same place
United Kingdom
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