Photo credit: eclectic-eccentric.com
Here’s another expression which I’ve heard a few times already, and hearing it in a meeting today encouraged me to finally write it down. The expression to have more than one string to your bow (with possible variations) means ‘to have more than one plan, idea, or skill if the first one is not successful’ (Macmillan Dictionary).
Some examples:
– In his budget speech Mr Osborne mentioned financial services only to say that Britain needed other strings to its bow (The Economist).
– Dave Stapleton keeps quietly adding strings to his bow, such as his exciting quintet of fresh faces, his prolific composing, and the creation of a record label (The Guardian).
– Jimmy Doherty, friend of Jamie Oliver and that farmer off the telly, has a new string to his bow. But is it any good, or is he just cashing in? (The Guardian)
Confessions of the Linguistic Spy 