刻舟求剑 meaning in English

carve on gunwale of a moving boat,marking where a sword was dropped -- foolish undertaking; carve a mark on gunwale in moving boat where a sword was lost -- ridiculous stupidity; cut a mark on the side of one's boat to indicate the place where one's sword has dropped into the river; mark the boat to locate the sword; nick the boat to seek the sword -- to take measures without regard to changes in circumstances; seek a sword from a notch on a boat