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the straw that broke the camel's back

A small and seemingly insignificant addition to a burden that renders it too much to bear; the small thing which causes failure, or causes inability or unwillingness to endure any more of something.

Etymology:

  • Possibly from the proverb, recorded by Thomas Fuller in his Gnomologia as "Tis the last feather that breaks the horse's back." This comes from an Arab proverb about loading up a camel beyond its capacity to move.
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Submitted on September 01, 2009

Additional definitions for 'the straw that broke the camel's back':

the straw that broke the camel's backMy patience has finally run out.
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نی که کمر شتر را شکست

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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to the straw that broke the camel's back

to the moon and backthrow backthe bears get rich, the bulls get rich …take backtie backturn backtake backthose who can't use their head must use…there and backthrow backto hell and backtip backStraw that Broke Camel's Backturn back

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    "the straw that broke the camel's back." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Apr. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/the-straw-that-broke-the-camels-back_7431>.

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