English Idioms
Comprehensive resource for understanding and mastering English idioms
Make a mountain out of a molehill
Meaning
The idiom "make a mountain out of a molehill" means to exaggerate or make a big fuss over something that is insignificant or unimportant. It is often used when someone is overreacting to a small issue. The phrase comes from the idea of taking a tiny molehill and turning it into a large mountain, which is impossible.
Usage
- When she found out her friend had forgotten their birthday, she made a mountain out of a molehill and stormed off.
- The teacher made a mountain out of a molehill when the student accidentally wrote "their" instead of "there" on an exam.
- The boss made a mountain out of a molehill when an employee didn't show up to work, even though it was a one-time occurrence.
- The customer made a mountain out of a molehill when they were denied a refund for a defective product.
- The athlete made a mountain out of a molehill when they were disqualified from a race due to a minor technicality.
Roots and History
The phrase "make a mountain out of a molehill" first appeared in English literature in the 17th century, with the first recorded use being in a collection of proverbs by John Heywood in 1546. The idiom is believed to have originated from a 12th-century Latin phrase "ad montem elevare," which means "to raise to a mountain." The phrase was later translated into English as "make a mountain out of a molehill" and has since become a commonly used expression in contemporary language.
Synonyms in English
- Blow things out of proportion
- Make a big deal out of something
- Overreact to a situation
- Make a fuss over nothing
- Exaggerate the importance of something
Synonyms in other languages
- 祸国不如自己造成的祸国 (Chinese) - This phrase means "Creating more problems than solving existing ones" and is often used to describe someone who is overreacting to a situation.
- אני מצעות שלך אין סהרים נולחאת בשנים הצריכים נסדרים (Hebrew) - This phrase means "You have caused me to miss out on important opportunities" and is often used to describe someone who has overreacted to a situation.
- להות מכון שאני תחזקה שלך (Hebrew) - This phrase means "You have caused me to miss out on the joy of life" and is often used to describe someone who has overreacted to a situation.
- בעות מכון בשנים הצריכים נסדרים (Hebrew) - This phrase means "You have caused me to miss out on important opportunities" and is often used to describe someone who has overreacted to a situation.
- מוגענית ואני אין אצלך בשנים הצריכים נסדרים (Hebrew) - This phrase means "You have caused me to miss out on the joy of life" and is often used to describe someone who has overreacted to a situation.