strain at a gnat

English

Alternative forms

• strain out a gnat

Etymology

From the King James Version of the Bible, verse Matthew 23:24.

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)

1. (figuratively, idiomatic) to make a mountain out of a molehill

References

• “strain at a gnat”, in Collins English Dictionary.
• “strain at a gnat” in Idioms and phrases, TheFreeDictionary.com, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.: Farlex, Inc., 2003–2025.

^ The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], 1611, →OCLC, Matthew 23:24: “Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.”