A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

bring one’s pigs to a bad market • bring one’s pigs
to a fine market
bring one’s pigs to a bad market—(UK dated) be unsuccessful;
fail in an undertaking (also: bring one’s eggs to a bad market):
Yet, desirous as the schoolmaster might be to send the spec-
tators away in good humor, he brought his eggs to a bad mar-
ket.
bring one’s pigs to a fine market—(ironic) = bring one’s pigs to
a bad market: In our way to our lodging, after a profound si-
lence on both sides, Strap, with a hideous groan, observed
that we had brought our pigs to a fine market.
Note: 
Neither expression correlates in meaning with the phrase
drive one’s pigs to market
—(UK dated) snore loudly: The
sleeping men … went on driving their pigs to market for all
they were worth.
bring sand to the beach • sell snow to the Eskimos
bring sand to the beach— come with a girlfriend or boyfriend
to a party where there are plenty of single women and men:
Actually, I don’t suggest bringing any significant other to a
club — why bring sand to the beach.
sell snow to the Eskimos —take goods, etc. to a place where
they are already plentiful: It sounds as sensible as trying to sell
snow to the Eskimos, but a Yorkshire company really believes
it can persuade us to buy fresh air.
bring shame on someone • put someone to shame
bring shame on someone —bring discredit upon a person; dis-
grace or dishonor a person: Bessie, whatever you do — don’t
bring shame on the family like I have.
put someone to shame —make smb. feel ashamed or humili-
ated (by showing superior qualities): That she had not been
put to shame and made to feel her unfortunate position
seemed remarkable.
bring someone back • bring someone back out
bring someone back —make a person or animal come back to
life: There was nothing that would bring Jimmy’s cat back. It
was truly dead.
bring someone back out—succeed in bringing a performer
back onto the stage for applause: They brought her back out
seven times, cheering and applauding.