Ariadne's thread
Meaning: Something that guides one through a complicated problem.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “The old diaries were the Ariadne's thread that led historians through the family's past.”
Category: The Absurd
Origin: In Greek myth, Ariadne gave Theseus a ball of thread to unwind as he entered the Labyrinth, so he could find his way out after killing the Minotaur.
Equivalents in other languages
- French: Un fil d'Ariane — literally: An Ariadne's thread
More idioms — The Absurd
- hey presto — Said when something happens suddenly, as if by magic.
- the eighth wonder of the world — Something extraordinary, often said ironically.
- scream blue murder — To protest very loudly.
- a Procrustean bed — A rigid standard forced on everything, whatever the damage.
- a Sisyphean task — An endless, futile task.
- Captain Obvious — A mocking name for someone who states the obvious.
More English idioms
- the end justifies the means — A good result excuses any way of achieving it.
- sweet-talk — To persuade someone with flattery.
- get on the wrong side of — To make someone angry or hostile toward you.
- you can't be in two places at once — One person cannot do two things in different places at the same time.
- play to the gallery — To behave in a way meant to win popular approval.
- a pie-crust promise — A promise that is easily broken.
From our proverbs
- Slander leaves a score behind it. — Spoken harm creates lasting damage that the victim carries long after the words fade.
- One hour's sleep before midnight is worth two hours after. — Early sleep aligns with natural circadian rhythms, making pre-midnight rest more restorat…
- There is sleeping enough in the grave. — Excessive rest now wastes precious living time that death will eventually steal forever.