stumbling block

See also: stumblingblock and stumbling-block

English

Alternative forms

stumbling-block
stumbling blocke (obsolete)

Etymology

Probably originally from Romans 14:13 or 1 Corinthians 8:9 in the King James Version of the Bible, translating Koine Greek πρόσκομμα (próskomma).^[1]^[2]

Pronunciation

Audio (General Australian): (file)

Noun

stumbling block (plural stumbling blocks)

(idiomatic) A hindrance, obstacle or impediment; an opportunity for error.
Synonyms: see Thesaurus:hindrance

Idioms are a common stumbling block for learners of a language.
- 2024 March 20, Conrad Landin, “"Farcical" Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act isn't working”, in RAIL, number 1005, page 24:
  And by opting not to enforce the law in the recent strikes, industry leaders signalled a reluctance to aggravate a dispute in which many believe the stumbling block is not TOCs, but the Westminster government.

Translations

hindrance

Bulgarian: препъни-камък (prepǎni-kamǎk)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 障礙物／障碍物 (zh) (zhàng'àiwù), 絆腳石／绊脚石 (zh) (bànjiǎoshí)
Esperanto: stumbligilo
Finnish: kompastuskivi
French: pierre d’achoppement (fr) f, écueil (fr) m
German: Stolperstein (de) m, Fallstrick (de) m
Gothic: 𐌱𐌹𐍃𐍄𐌿𐌲𐌵 n (bistugq), 𐌼𐌰𐍂𐌶𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃 f (marzeins)
Greek:
Ancient: σκάνδαλον n (skándalon)
Italian: scoglio (it) m
Japanese: つまずきの石 (つまずきのいし, tsumazuki no ishi), 妨げ (ja) (さまたげ, samatage)
Kikuyu: mũhĩnga class 3
Plautdietsch: Aunstooss m
Polish: przeszkoda (pl) f
Portuguese: pedra de tropeço m, obstáculo (pt)
Russian: ка́мень преткнове́ния (ru) m (kámenʹ pretknovénija)
Scottish Gaelic: cnap-starra m, ceap-tuislidh m, arrasbacan m, oilbheum m, bò mhòr na cachaileith
Spanish: escollo (es) m, obstáculo (es), atascadero m
Swedish: stötesten (sv) c
Ukrainian: ка́мінь спотика́ння m (káminʹ spotykánnja)

References

^ The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], 1611, →OCLC, Romans 14:13: “Let vs not therefore iudge one another any more: but iudge this rather, that no man put a stumbling blocke, or an occasion to fall in his brothers way.”
^ The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], 1611, →OCLC, 1 Corinthians 8:9: “But take heed lest by any meanes, this libertie of yours become a stumbling blocke to them that are weake.”

[1] The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], 1611, →OCLC, Romans 14:13: “Let vs not therefore iudge one another any more: but iudge this rather, that no man put a stumbling blocke, or an occasion to fall in his brothers way.”

[2] The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], 1611, →OCLC, 1 Corinthians 8:9: “But take heed lest by any meanes, this libertie of yours become a stumbling blocke to them that are weake.”

[1]

[2]