Difficulty - Causing Difficulty

Master English idioms that relate to causing difficulties, like "the chill wind of" and "a pain in the neck".

Review

Flashcards

Forms

Quiz

Start learning

a pain in the ass

[phrase]

a person or thing that causes persistent annoyance, trouble, or inconvenience

Ex: He's a pain in the ass about every tiny detail.

a victim of one's own success

[phrase]

a situation in which an individual or organization faces negative consequences or difficulties as a result of their own achievements or accomplishments

Ex: The author's bestselling novel brought her fame and fortune, but it also meant living under constant scrutiny and struggling with writer's block—a classic case of being a victim of one's own success.

a pain in the neck

[phrase]

a person or thing that is very annoying or troublesome

Ex: She's a pain in the neck with her constant texting during dinner.

to be beyond a joke

[phrase]

to start becoming a source of trouble or worry

Ex: The recurring technical issues with the software are beyond a joke.It's causing significant disruptions to our business operations.

to get in the way of somebody or something

[phrase]

to not let someone do something or to prevent something from getting done by causing problems

Ex: Jack's lack of focus often gets in the way of him completing his assignments on time.

long haul

[noun]

a task that needs a great amount of time and effort to finish

Ex: Saving money for retirement is a long haul; it 's important to start early and consistently contribute over the years .

stumbling block

[noun]

something that prevents the progress or occurrence of something

Ex: Inadequate preparation proved to be a stumbling block for the candidate during the job interview .

to take a lot out of somebody

[phrase]

to exhaust one mentally or physically in order to be done or achieved

Ex: Running a marathon takes a lot out of a person, both physically and mentally.

the last straw

[phrase]

the final and decisive event or action that pushes someone beyond their tolerance or patience, leading to a significant reaction or decision

Ex: The long hours and excessive workload had been taking a toll on her, and when she was passed over for a promotion, it was the final straw that prompted her to quit her job.

a monkey on one's back

[phrase]

a problem that is in no way easy to solve or get rid of

Ex: The team's lack of communication and coordination were like monkeys on their backs, hindering their progress in the project.

like kicking (dead) whales down the beach

[phrase]

used to refer to a task or activity that is completely pointless and illogical

Ex: Writing an essay without doing any research is like kicking dead whales down the beach - it won't lead to a well-informed or compelling piece of writing.

to get one's hands dirty

[phrase]

to engage in manual work, particularly one that is exhausting or of high difficulty

Ex: The detective had to get his hands dirty to solve the complex case, going undercover and infiltrating the criminal organization.

thorn in one's side

[phrase]

a person or thing that is problematic and hard to deal with

Ex: Dealing with a difficult client who constantly changes their demands can be a thorn in the side of even the most patient professionals.

the chill wind of something

[phrase]

a collection of problems that are caused by something

Ex: As the economic crisis deepened, many families began to feel the chill wind of financial hardship.

milestone around one's neck

[phrase]

an inescapable problem or responsibility that proves too much for one to bear

Ex: The financial burden of buying a house became a milestone around their necks, as they found themselves struggling to meet mortgage payments and other expenses.

tar baby

[noun]

a problem that becomes more difficult to deal with the more one tries to solve it

Ex: The legal dispute turned into a tar baby for both parties involved , dragging on for years and draining their resources .

the straw that [break] the (camel's|donkey's) back

the straw that break the camel's back

[phrase]

one of several difficulties happening after one another that finally makes it intolerable for someone to continue something

Ex: The student had been juggling multiple assignments, extracurricular activities, and personal challenges.When their computer crashed and they lost all their work, it was the straw that broke the camel's back, and they had an emotional breakdown.

to be drown in something

[phrase]

to be overwhelmed or completely absorbed by a specific thing, experience, or emotion

Ex: it seems every country is drown in debt, and facing serious financial problems.

Difficulty
Hard Tasks	Difficult Challenges	Causing Difficulty	Troublemaking
Adding Complexity	Experiencing Difficulties	Facing Unpleasantness	Easy Tasks
Without Effort	Acceptance & Relief	Means & Solutions

Download LanGeek app