Ex.: The boss does not like our idea so we must go back to the drawing board.
———————What's the origin of the phrase?
- This term has been used since WWII as a jocular acceptance that a design has failed and that a new one is needed. It gained common currency quite quickly and began appearing in US newspapers by 1947.
It was well-enough known by 1966 for it to be used as a title for an episode in the 'Get Smart' TV series, and has also been used as the title of several books.
A drawing board is, of course, an architect's or draughtsman's table, used for the preparation of designs or blueprints.
#Idiom