make a mountain out of a molehill

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make a mountain out of a molehill

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make a mountain out of a molehill (third-person singular simple present makes a mountain out of a molehill, present participle making a mountain out of a molehill, simple past and past participle made a mountain out of a molehill)

1. (transitive, idiomatic) To treat a problem as greater than it is; to blow something out of proportion; to exaggerate the importance of something trivial.

   If you’re stuck in traffic, try not to make a mountain out of a molehill worrying about it too much. You could be making it much worse.

   • 1573, John Bridges, The Supremacie of Christian Princes Over All Persons Throughout Theor Dominions, London: Humphrey Toye, Division 18, p. 553,

     to slaunder the Gospell ye aggrauate many lies, & will make a mountaine of a mole hill

   • 1642, James Howell, Instructions for Forreine Travell, London: Humphrey Mosley, Section 14, p. 176-177,

     Others have a custome to bee always relating strange things and wonders, they make Mountaines of Mole-hils, like Charenton-Bridge-Eccho, which doubles the sound nine times.

   • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, Dublin, John Smith, Volume 3, Book 15, Chapter 10, pp. 170-171,

     For of all the Powers exercised by this Passion over our Minds, one of the most wonderful is that of supporting Hope in the midst of Despair. Yet it is equally true, that the same Passion will sometimes make Mountans of Mole-hills, and produce Despair in the midst of Hope;

   • 1868, Wilkie Collins, chapter 12, in The Moonstone‎, volume 1, London: Tinsley Brothers, page 207:

     “I have now only one remark to offer, on leaving this case in your hands. There is such a thing, Sergeant, as making a mountain out of a molehill. Good morning.”

   • 1913, D. H. Lawrence, Sons and Lovers‎, London: Heinemann, Part 2, Chapter 7, p. 181:

     She wondered why he, who did not usually trouble over trifles, made such a mountain of this molehill.

• blow out of proportion
• federal case
• magnify
• make a big thing out of
• much ado about nothing
• sweat the small stuff
• tempest in a teapot