strain at a gnat
English
Alternative forms
- strain out a gnat
Etymology
From the Bible.
Verb
strain at a gnat (third-person singular simple present strains at a gnat, present participle straining at a gnat, simple past and past participle strained at a gnat)
- (figuratively) make a mountain out of a molehill
- Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. (Matthew 23:24)
See also
References
- “strain at a gnat”, in Collins English Dictionary.
- “strain at a gnat” in TheFreeDictionary.com, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.: Farlex, Inc., 2003–2023.
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