For want of a nail the shoe is lost; for want of a shoe the horse is lost; for want of a horse the rider is lost.
Meaning: Small negligences compound catastrophically; ignoring minor problems cascades into complete failure.
Origin: From 'A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases' (1870). Public domain.
Translations
- Spanish: Por un punto se pierde un zapato (literally: For want of a nail the shoe is lost)
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