pushing on a string
n.— «The attempt to pump money into the banking system failed, and as a result, the phrase “pushing on a string” was coined to describe the futility of inflationary policies in this environment.» —“Wisdom from Richard Russell on the Inflation/Deflation Topic” by Jay Taylor HoweStreet.com Nov. 21, 2005. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
What’s up with ketchup? The shifting history and spelling of the name of this condiment. For centuries, ketchup was a fishy sauce originating in Asia—the tomatoes came only later! Plus, a new book shows what’s lost when a language dies: when there...
Amid a 1796 heat wave, Jane Austen wrote to her sister, “What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance.” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Jane Austen’s Continual State of Inelegance in a 1796...