stumbling block

See also: stumblingblock and stumbling-block

English

Alternative forms

• stumbling-block
• stumbling blocke (obsolete)

Etymology

Probably originally from Romans 14:13 or 1 Corinthians 8:9 in the King James Version of the Bible, translating Koine Greek πρόσκομμα (próskomma).

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Noun

stumbling block (plural stumbling blocks)

1. (idiomatic) A hindrance, obstacle or impediment; an opportunity for error.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:hindrance

   Idioms are a common stumbling block for learners of a language.

   • 2024 March 20, Conrad Landin, “"Farcical" Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act isn't working”, in RAIL, number 1005, page 24:

     And by opting not to enforce the law in the recent strikes, industry leaders signalled a reluctance to aggravate a dispute in which many believe the stumbling block is not TOCs, but the Westminster government.

Translations

hindrance

• Bulgarian: препъни-камък (prepǎni-kamǎk)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 障礙物 / 障碍物 (zh) (zhàng'àiwù), 絆腳石 / 绊脚石 (zh) (bànjiǎoshí)

• Esperanto: stumbligilo
• Finnish: kompastuskivi
• French: pierre d’achoppement (fr) f, écueil (fr) m
• German: Stolperstein (de) m, Fallstrick (de) m
• Gothic: 𐌱𐌹𐍃𐍄𐌿𐌲𐌵 n (bistugq), 𐌼𐌰𐍂𐌶𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃 f (marzeins)
• Greek:

  Ancient: σκάνδαλον n (skándalon)

• Italian: scoglio (it) m
• Japanese: つまずきの石 (つまずきのいし, tsumazuki no ishi), 妨げ (ja) (さまたげ, samatage)
• Kikuyu: mũhĩnga class 3
• Plautdietsch: Aunstooss m
• Polish: przeszkoda (pl) f
• Portuguese: pedra de tropeço m, obstáculo (pt)
• Russian: ка́мень преткнове́ния (ru) m (kámenʹ pretknovénija)
• Scottish Gaelic: cnap-starra m, ceap-tuislidh m, arrasbacan m, oilbheum m, bò mhòr na cachaileith
• Spanish: escollo (es) m, obstáculo (es), atascadero m
• Swedish: stötesten (sv) c
• Ukrainian: ка́мінь спотика́ння m (káminʹ spotykánnja)

See also

• stepping stone
• building block