English · Work & Business
back to the drawing board
/bæk tə ðə ˈdrɔː.ɪŋ bɔːd/
[/bæk tə ðə ˈdrɔː.ɪŋ bɔːd/]
start over after failure
Intermediatephrase
Definition
Used to say that an idea has failed and you must start planning again from the beginning.
Example
The prototype didn't work at all, so it's back to the drawing board for the whole design team.
The prototype didn't work at all, so it's back to the drawing board for the whole design team.
Etymology
From a 1941 New Yorker cartoon caption by Peter Arno showing an engineer beside a crashed plane.
How & Where It’s Used
Common after a plan fails and must be redesigned.
Literary Heritage
Originated in a 1941 New Yorker cartoon by Peter Arno captioned 'Well, back to the old drawing board.'