the straw that broke the camel's back
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the straw that broke the camel's back
Where it comes from
Possibly from the proverb, recorded by Thomas Fuller in his Gnomologia (1732) 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.
noun 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. As the last straw breaks the laden camel's back, this piece of underground information crushed the sinking spirits of Mr. Dombey.
Translations
Every language
noun small additional burden which causes failure
| Español | la gota que colmó el vaso, la gota que rebalsó el vaso, la gota que derramó el vaso |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 壓倒駱駝的最後一根草 /压倒骆驼的最后一根草 yādǎo luòtuó de zuìhòu yī gēn cǎo |
| Português | a gota que transbordou o copo |
| Français | la goutte d’eau qui fait déborder le vase |
| Deutsch | der Tropfen, der das Fass zum Überlaufen bringt |
| Italiano | la goccia che fa traboccare il vaso, goccia che fa traboccare il vaso |
| Ελληνικά | η σταγόνα που ξεχείλισε το ποτήρι i stagóna pou xecheílise to potíri |
| Română | picătura care a umplut paharul |
| Русский | ка́пля, перепо́лнившая ча́шу káplja, perepólnivšaja čášu |
| Tiếng Việt | Giọt nước làm tràn ly |
| עברית | הקש ששבר את גב הגמל hakásh sheshavár ét gáv hagamál |
Talk about this word "the straw that broke the camel's back." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/the%20straw%20that%20broke%20the%20camel's%20back. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026. the straw that broke the camel's back. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 7, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/the%20straw%20that%20broke%20the%20camel's%20back "the straw that broke the camel's back." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 7, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/the%20straw%20that%20broke%20the%20camel's%20back.Cite this
@misc{the_straw_that_broke_the_camel_s_back_2026,
title = {the straw that broke the camel's back},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/the%20straw%20that%20broke%20the%20camel's%20back},
urldate = {2026-11-07}
}
