Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

get blood out of a stone

idiom
/ɡɛt blʌd aʊt ʌv ə stoʊn/
Definition
To try to obtain something that is impossible to get or very difficult to achieve.
Examples
  • Trying to get any money from him is like trying to get blood out of a stone.
  • She tried to negotiate a better deal, but it felt like getting blood out of a stone.
Meaning
This phrase means to make an effort to extract something from a situation or person that is incapable of providing it.
Synonyms
  • impossible task
  • futile effort
  • trying to squeeze water from a rock