much ado about nothing
Meaning: A lot of fuss about something unimportant.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “The scandal turned out to be much ado about nothing.”
Category: Daily Life
Origin: From the title of Shakespeare's comedy Much Ado About Nothing (around 1599). "Ado" means fuss or trouble.
Equivalents in other languages
- Arabic: تمخض الجبل فولد فأرا (tamakhaḍa al-jabalu fa-walada fa'ran) — literally: The mountain went into labor and gave birth to a mouse
- French: La montagne accouche d'une souris — literally: The mountain gives birth to a mouse
More idioms — Daily Life
- have one's work cut out — To face a difficult task.
- mum's the word — Keep this secret; say nothing.
- search me — I don't know.
- be rolling in it — To be very rich.
- be worth one's weight in gold — To be extremely valuable or useful.
- the flip side of the coin — The opposite, usually less pleasant, aspect of something.
More English idioms
- you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar — Kindness persuades people better than harshness.
- a rare bird — An unusual person or thing.
- follow the herd — To do what everyone else does without thinking.
- a leopard can't change its spots — People cannot change their basic nature.
- all grist to the mill — Everything can be turned to use or advantage.
- you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs — Achieving something worthwhile involves some loss or damage.
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