Dictionary

therein lies the rub en · X

Etymology

A misquotation or paraphrasing from Shakespeare's Hamlet: "ay, there's the rub".

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) That is where the problem is found or located.
   • I tried to back up my database to a USB flash drive, but it isn't big enough. Therein lies the rub.

Forms

Relateds

thereby hangs a tale · where the shoe pinches

Translations (18)

sv här ligger en hund begraven (that is where the problem is) · ru вот где соба́ка зары́та (that is where the problem is) · hu itt van a kutya elásva (that is where the problem is) · pl tu leży pies pogrzebany (that is where the problem is) · nl daar wringt het schoentje (that is where the problem is) · tr sıkıntı orada (that is where the problem is) · de da liegt der Hund begraben (that is where the problem is) · fi siinä ongelma juuri piileekin (that is where the problem is) · he פה קבור הכלב (that is where the problem is) · el τα κουμπιά της Αλέξαινας (that is where the problem is) · hu itt a bökkenő/gond (that is where the problem is) · de da liegt der Hase im Pfeffer (that is where the problem is) · pl tu jest pies pogrzebany (that is where the problem is) · nb der ligger hunden begravet (that is where the problem is) · nl daar wringt de schoen (that is where the problem is) · fr c'est là que le bât blesse (that is where the problem is) · es la madre del cordero (that is where the problem is) · it qui casca l'asino (that is where the problem is)