fly in the ointment
UK /ˈflaɪ ɪn ði ˈɔɪntm(ə)nt/ · US /ˈflaɪ ən ði ˈɔɪn(t)m(ə)nt/ noun
Forms flies in the ointment
- noun (idiomatic) Something (especially a minor thing) which ruins or spoils everything else, or makes it less pleasant; a nuisance or problem; a disagreeable or unpleasant detail.
Synonyms
turd in the punchbowl worm in the apple fly in the buttermilk
Etymology
A reference to Ecclesiastes 10:1 in the Bible (King James Version; spelling modernized): “Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doeth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.”
Sources: Wiktionary — from the Wiktionary entry “fly in the ointment”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details