“Kill two birds with one stone” is the proverb of efficiency — getting two things done with a single effort. Here is what it means, where it comes from, how to use it, and a few sayings (and gentler modern versions) in the same spirit.
What Does “Kill Two Birds with One Stone” Mean?
The proverb means to achieve two aims with a single action — to solve two problems, or accomplish two tasks, in one efficient move. If you stop at the shop on your way home and post a letter at the same time, you have killed two birds with one stone. It is a compliment to clever, economical planning that makes one effort do the work of two.
Origin of the Proverb
The phrase was first found in print in 1656, in Thomas Hobbes’s The Questions Concerning Liberty, Necessity, and Chance — though it had appeared a decade earlier in a 1646 letter to Hobbes from John Bramhall, Bishop of Derry. An older cousin sits in John Heywood’s 1546 proverb collection: “I will learn to stop two gaps with one bush.” Some trace the underlying image all the way back to the Greek myth of Daedalus, who is said to have downed two birds with a single stone to gather feathers for his wings. Curiously, in Hobbes’s original use it was almost a criticism — trying to do too much at once — before settling into today’s praise of efficiency.
Examples in a Sentence
- “I’ll visit my parents on the way to the airport and kill two birds with one stone.”
- “The course teaches grammar and vocabulary together — killing two birds with one stone.”
- “By cycling to work she gets exercise and saves money: two birds, one stone.”
Similar Proverbs
- Feed two birds with one scone — a gentler, kinder modern rewording of the same idea.
- Make every shot count — get the most out of a single effort.
- Two for the price of one — a double benefit from one outlay.
- Killing two birds with one stone is better than one — the plain logic of efficiency.
For more sayings about cleverness and efficiency, see our smart thoughts and the full library of proverbs and their meanings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “kill two birds with one stone” mean?
It means to accomplish two tasks or solve two problems with a single action — an expression of clever efficiency.
Where does the proverb come from?
It was first printed in 1656 by Thomas Hobbes, after appearing in a 1646 letter to him. An older version (“stop two gaps with one bush”) is in John Heywood’s 1546 collection.
Is there a kinder version?
Yes — “feed two birds with one scone” is a popular gentle rewording that keeps the meaning while losing the violent image.
