can't fight City Hall

(You) can't fight city hall.

Fig. There is no way to win in a battle against a bureaucracy. Bill: I guess I'll go ahead and pay the tax bill. Bob: Might as well. You can't fight city hall. Mary: How did things go at your meeting with the zoning board? Sally: I gave up. Can't fight city hall.

can't fight City Hall

Unable to overcome bureaucratic rules, as in Brad couldn't get a permit without going through channels-you can't fight City Hall! This term transfers the seat of city government to a more general sense of bureaucracy in any sphere. [Mid-1800s]

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
PlÁCido	PLAH-thee-dho (Spanish), PLAH-see-dho (Latin American Spanish)	Spanish, Portuguese
Tryphosa	-	Biblical, Biblical Greek, Ancient Greek
Orsolya	-	Hungarian
Wyot	-	Medieval English
Daly	['deili]
Lolicia	-	English (Rare)