🗓️ Idiom: A drain on Resources (n)
💬 Meaning
- Something that uses a lot of time, money, or energy and gives little benefit in return.
- A project or activity that takes more than it gives back.
🧠 Example Sentences
- The company’s recycling program was important, but some managers saw it as a drain on resources.
- If the CSR campaign isn’t planned well, it can become a drain on resources.
- Running that sustainability project without community support turned out to be a drain on resources.
🏛️ Origin
This idiom comes from the idea of water draining away through a pipe. Just like water disappears without being useful, time or money can be “drained” by activities that don’t bring value.
📝 Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blank:
The new initiative was well-meaning, but in the end, it turned into __________.
Answer
a drain on resources
2. Multiple choice:
What does “a drain on resources” suggest?
A. Something that improves business profits
B. Something that wastes time and money
C. A tool to help manage a budget
Answer
B. Something that wastes time and money
3. Rewrite the sentence:
Change this to include the idiom “a drain on resources”:
“The project took a lot of money and didn’t give many results.”
Answer
The project was a drain on resources.
ℹ️ Other Useful Pages
👉 Corporate Social Responsibility Programs Idioms
👉 Business English Idioms List