PhrasesHub

The last straw

    Definitions

      • reaching a breaking point
        To refer to a final, small or seemingly insignificant event or action that causes someone to become unable to tolerate a situation any longer and react in a negative or extreme way

      • final opportunity
        To refer to the last chance or opportunity to achieve or obtain something, often used in a negative context when all other options have been exhausted

      • culmination
        To refer to the last in a series of events or actions that leads to a particular outcome or result

    Examples of The last straw

    • After dealing with countless mishaps, the customer's request for a refund was the last straw for the store manager.

      The phrase "the last straw" is used to describe a situation that has caused someone to reach their limit or breaking point. In this example, the customer's request for a refund was the final issue that the store manager could not handle, leading to their decision to refuse the request.

    • The long commute, the overflowing inbox, and the unexpected project were all straws on the camel's back for the overworked employee.

      The idiom "straws on the camel's back" is a variation of "the last straw." It refers to a series of small issues that, when added together, lead to a major problem. In this example, the employee was already dealing with multiple issues, and the new project was the final straw that caused them to become overwhelmed.

    • The company's poor performance and the CEO's questionable decisions were the last straw for the investors, who decided to pull out of the company.

      This example demonstrates how "the last straw" can be used in a business context. The investors had been dealing with the company's poor performance and the CEO's questionable decisions for some time, but these issues reached a critical point, causing the investors to make a major decision to withdraw their investment.

    • The student's repeated absences and lack of effort were the last straw for the teacher, who failed the student.

      This example shows how "the last straw" can be used in an academic setting. The teacher had been dealing with the student's absences and lack of effort for some time, but these issues reached a critical point, causing the teacher to fail the student.

    • The team's string of losses and the coach's inability to make changes were the last straw for the fans, who demanded the coach's resignation.

      This example demonstrates how "the last straw" can be used in a sports context. The fans had been dealing with the team's string of losses and the coach's inability to make changes for some time, but these issues reached a critical point, causing the fans to demand the coach's resignation.


    Conclusion

    The idiom "the last straw" is commonly used to indicate that someone has reached a breaking point or final straw in a situation. It can also refer to the final opportunity for someone to achieve something or the culmination of a series of events. In all of these meanings, the idiom is used to emphasize the significance of the last event or action in a particular context.

    Origin of "The last straw"

    The origin of this idiom can be traced back to an old proverb: "It is the last straw that breaks the camel's back." This saying was first recorded in the 17th century and is believed to have originated from an Arab fable about a camel carrying a heavy load of straw. Each additional straw added to the load eventually caused the camel's back to break, hence the proverb.

    Over time, this proverb evolved into the idiom we know today, with "the last straw" representing the final event or action that leads to a breaking point. It is often used in a figurative sense, with the camel representing a person's tolerance or capacity for handling a situation.

    The idiom has been widely used in literature and popular culture, and its meaning has expanded to include various situations where a final event or action has significant consequences. It is a powerful idiom that conveys the idea of a tipping point and the impact of small actions or events on a larger outcome.