beat swords into ploughshares


beat swords into ploughshares

To abstain from destructive activities, such as war and violence (symbolized by swords), in favor of peaceful, constructive activities (symbolized by ploughshares, a farming implement). The phrase comes from the Bible. We must beat swords into ploughshares so that our children can inherit a peaceful world.See also: beat, ploughshares, sword

beat swords into ploughshares

or

turn swords into ploughshares

LITERARYIf people beat swords into ploughshares or turn swords into ploughshares, they stop fighting and instead use their resources and technology to do things to improve people's lives. Note: `Ploughshares' is spelled `plowshares' in American English. In a perfect world, there would be no need for any country to have armed forces and we would all beat our swords into ploughshares. For this country, turning swords into ploughshares and rocket plants into trolley bus factories is an economic necessity. Note: A ploughshare is one of the blades on a plough. This expression may come from the Bible: `They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.' (Isaiah 2:4). See also: beat, ploughshares, sword

beat (or turn) swords into ploughshares

devote resources to peaceful rather than aggressive or warlike ends. The reference here is to the biblical image of God's peaceful rule: ‘they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks’ (Isaiah 2:4).See also: beat, ploughshares, sword

beat/turn swords into ˈploughshares

(literary) stop fighting and return to peaceful activitiesThis comes from the Bible. A ploughshare is a blade that forms part of a plough (= a large piece of farming equipment used for cutting the soil).See also: beat, ploughshares, sword, turn