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3. employ a steam engine to crack a nut

employ a steam engine to crack a nut

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employ a steam engine to crack a nut

To use excessive, overcomplicated, or extravagant means or force to accomplish something relatively minor or simple. With this new system of issuing licenses, the government has employed a steam engine to crack a nut: four separate departments now handle each stage of an application, when a single department could easily process applications from start to finish.

See also: crack, employ, engine, nut, steam