Difficulty - Causing Difficulty

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

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a pain in the ass

[phrase]

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

Ex: This printer is a pain in the ass; it jams every time I need it.

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 restaurant became a victim of its own success; the kitchen could not keep up with the crowds.

a pain in the neck

[phrase]

a person or thing that is very annoying or troublesome

Ex: This new password system is a pain in the neck.

to be beyond a joke

[phrase]

to start becoming a source of trouble or worry

Ex: These delays are getting beyond a joke; we are losing customers now.

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: Do not let pride get in the way of apologizing.

long haul

[noun]

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

Ex: Restoring the old house will be a long haul, but it will be worth it.

stumbling block

[noun]

something that prevents the progress or occurrence of something

Ex: Lack of funding was the biggest stumbling block for the project.

to take a lot out of somebody

[phrase]

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

Ex: Caring for the twins all week took a lot out of her.

a monkey on one's back

[phrase]

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

Ex: That unpaid loan has been a monkey on his back for years.

like kicking (dead) whales down the beach

[phrase]

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

Ex: Rewriting the report in three formats no one will read is like kicking dead whales down the beach.

to get one's hands dirty

[phrase]

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

Ex: The manager finally got his hands dirty and helped unload the boxes.

thorn in one's side

[phrase]

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

Ex: The outdated software has been a thorn in our side for years.

the chill wind of something

[phrase]

a collection of problems that are caused by something

Ex: The company is already feeling the chill wind of recession, with orders falling every week.

milestone around one's neck

[phrase]

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

Ex: The failing branch became a millstone around his neck.

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 late payment was the last straw for the supplier.

tar baby

[noun]

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

Ex: The contract dispute became a tar baby once the lawyers got involved.

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 missed paycheck was the straw that broke the camel's back.

to be drown in something

[phrase]

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

Ex: I'm drowned in paperwork this week.

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

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