Last straw
Meaning
The final minor burden, problem, or irritation in a series that causes someone to lose patience or completely exhaust their tolerance.
Origin
The phrase "the last straw" is a powerful condensation of the ancient proverb, "the straw that breaks the camel's back." This enduring image paints a vivid picture from the harsh world of desert transport, where camels, laden with immense cargo, carried the hopes and goods of merchants across vast distances. Each piece of straw, insignificant on its own, when added to an already overwhelming burden, could be the one final, minuscule increment that caused the camel to buckle and collapse. This dramatic breaking point, where a seemingly minor event triggers total failure after countless preceding struggles, resonated deeply and solidified the phrase's lasting significance in our language, representing the ultimate limit of endurance.
Examples
- When his boss criticized his work for the third time that week, that was the last straw, and he decided to resign.
- Her constant complaining about trivial things wasn't usually an issue, but after a stressful day, her snide remark about dinner was the last straw for him.