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strain at a gnat. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
strain at a gnat, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
strain at a gnat in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
strain at a gnat you have here. The definition of the word
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strain at a gnat, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
From the King James Version of the Bible, verse Matthew 23:24.[1]
Verb
strain at a gnat (third-person singular simple present strains at a gnat, present participle straining at a gnat, simple past and past participle strained at a gnat)
- (figuratively, idiomatic) to make a mountain out of a molehill
References
^ The Holy Bible, (King James Version), London: Robert Barker, , 1611, →OCLC, Matthew 23:24: “Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.”