The phrase “leave no stone unturned” means to try every possible course of action in order to achieve something or to find something. It comes from an ancient Greek legend about a general who buried a large treasure in his tent when he was defeated in a battle. A man named Diogenes was told by the Oracle of Delphi that he would find the treasure if he turned every stone. So he went to the site of the battle and started turning over every stone he could find, until he finally discovered the hidden treasure. This story became a proverb that expresses the idea of being thorough and diligent in one’s search or effort.
Some examples of how to use this phrase are:
- He left no stone unturned in his search for his natural mother.
- The police left no stone unturned in their efforts to find the little girl.
- The researchers left no stone unturned in their search for the original documents.
- She said she would leave no stone unturned in the quest for justice.
