The plan failed, so we went back to the drawing board.
back to the drawing board
idiomIndicates that one must try a different strategy in order to achieve some goal following the failure of a recent attempt.
Origin
first recorded 20th c.Coined as “Well, back to the old drawing board,” as the caption of a cartoon by Peter Arno of The New Yorker on March 1, 1941, depicting an engineer walking away from a crashed plane.
When the client rejected our first design, we had to go back to the drawing board and rethink everything.
After months of testing showed the prototype was unsafe, the engineers reluctantly went back to the drawing board to redesign it from scratch.
- 01
all the way to Egery and back
The long way; a roundabout route; a long distance to travel.
- 02
back down
To take a less aggressive position in a conflict than one previously had, or has planned to have.
- 03
back forty
The most remote or inaccessible part of any place.
- 04
back gammon player
A person, chiefly a homosexual, who has anal sex.
- 05
back in the game
Having recovered from a disadvantageous position.
- 06
back into
To advance to the post-season as a result of another team's loss, especially where one's own team has also lost.
- 07
back of one's hand
A display of disrespect or scorn.
- 08
back off
To become less aggressive, particularly when one had appeared committed to act.