Problem Idioms
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Meaning: a difficult, controversial, or obvious problem that no one wants to talk about or mention because the subject is problematic, uncomfortable, or awkward
Example: When Geoff arrived at the meeting yesterday, he had a huge black eye. He gave us no explanation, and nobody dared ask him about it. So we sat there for the whole morning with this elephant in the room. Read more ➺
Meaning: a problem that is difficult to solve
Example: She's such a tough nut to crack. Nobody seems to be able to get through to her. Read more ➺
Meaning: difficult or complex problem
Example: The accountant always found the end of the tax year to be a knotty problem. Read more ➺
prevention is better than cure
Meaning: easier to stop problems than correct them later
Example: It is good to keep vaccinations up to date as prevention is better than cure. Read more ➺
Meaning: to avoid dealing with a problem
Example: I realise that the house needs to be painted but we are going to move in a few years so I am kicking the can down the road. Read more ➺
trouble shared is trouble halved
Meaning: the intensity of the issue can be lowered down by discussion
Example: Don't hesitate to share your problems with me. After all, a problem shared is a problem halved. Read more ➺
Meaning: a difficult phase of life
Example: The situation was getting worse, but like all the other members of the company, he was fascinated by troubled waters. Read more ➺
out of the frying pan into the fire
Meaning: to go from a bad to worse situation
Example: In a bid to gain independence, she agreed to get married early, not knowing she was jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. Read more ➺
Meaning: do not wait to deal with a specific problem or you risk it getting much worse later on
Example: John said to his brother, " You better bring your car to the shop while it's still running, because a stitch in time saves nine". Read more ➺
Meaning: It means that when you do not concentrate on the details of something you may run into unexpected problems
Example: "Have you seen my beautiful new bag? I paid a fortune for it." "Really? It is a fake. The stitching of the original bags is blue, not green." "How disappointing. I guess the devil is in the details." Read more ➺
