The Archive

Etymology Journal · C

Can't beat that with a stick

Meaning

This is a way of saying that something is an excellent deal or a highly satisfactory outcome. It implies that the situation is so good that one could not improve upon it even if they tried to force it.

Folksy, enthusiastic

Used in a sentence

  • We found this couch at a yard sale for twenty bucks and it looks brand new. You really can't beat that with a stick.
  • If they offer you the job at that salary, take it immediately. You can't beat that with a stick.
  • I just finished mowing the lawn in under an hour. Can't beat that with a stick.

The backstory

This phrase likely originated in rural America as a hyperbolic comparison. If you have something that is already perfect, beating it with a stick would only make it worse.

Heard in

Nationwide

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