"stumbling block" meaning in English

See stumbling block in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

Audio: En-au-stumbling block.ogg [Australia] Forms: stumbling blocks [plural]
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). Etymology templates: {{calque|en|grc-koi|πρόσκομμα|notext=1}} Koine Greek πρόσκομμα (próskomma) Head templates: {{en-noun}} stumbling block (plural stumbling blocks)
  1. (idiomatic) A hindrance, obstacle or impediment; an opportunity for error. Tags: idiomatic Synonyms: hindrance, stumbling-block, stumbling blocke [obsolete] Related terms: stepping stone, building block Translations (hindrance): σκάνδαλον (skándalon) [neuter] (Ancient Greek), препъни-камък (prepǎni-kamǎk) (Bulgarian), 障礙物 (Chinese Mandarin), 障碍物 (zhàng'àiwù) (Chinese Mandarin), 絆腳石 (Chinese Mandarin), 绊脚石 (bànjiǎoshí) (Chinese Mandarin), stumbligilo (Esperanto), kompastuskivi (Finnish), pierre d’achoppement [feminine] (French), écueil [masculine] (French), Stolperstein [masculine] (German), Fallstrick [masculine] (German), 𐌱𐌹𐍃𐍄𐌿𐌲𐌵 (bistugq) [neuter] (Gothic), 𐌼𐌰𐍂𐌶𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃 (marzeins) [feminine] (Gothic), scoglio [masculine] (Italian), つまずきの石 (tsumazuki no ishi) (alt: つまずきのいし) (Japanese), 妨げ (samatage) (alt: さまたげ) (Japanese), mũhĩnga [class-3] (Kikuyu), Aunstooss [masculine] (Plautdietsch), pedra de tropeço [masculine] (Portuguese), obstáculo (Portuguese), ка́мень преткнове́ния (kámenʹ pretknovénija) [masculine] (Russian), cnap-starra [masculine] (Scottish Gaelic), ceap-tuislidh [masculine] (Scottish Gaelic), arrasbacan [masculine] (Scottish Gaelic), oilbheum [masculine] (Scottish Gaelic), bò mhòr na cachaileith (Scottish Gaelic), escollo [masculine] (Spanish), obstáculo (Spanish), atascadero [masculine] (Spanish), stötesten [common-gender] (Swedish), ка́мінь спотика́ння (káminʹ spotykánnja) [masculine] (Ukrainian)

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

Download JSON data for stumbling block meaning in English (6.1kB)

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "grc-koi",
        "3": "πρόσκομμα",
        "notext": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Koine Greek πρόσκομμα (próskomma)",
      "name": "calque"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Probably originally from Romans 14:13 or 1 Corinthians 8:9 in the King James Version of the Bible, translating Koine Greek πρόσκομμα (próskomma).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "stumbling blocks",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "stumbling block (plural stumbling blocks)",
      "name": "en-noun"
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
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          "source": "w"
        },
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          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Japanese terms with redundant script codes",
          "parents": [
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          "name": "Mandarin terms with redundant transliterations",
          "parents": [
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        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Undetermined quotations with omitted translation",
          "parents": [
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      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Idioms are a common stumbling block for learners of a language.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2024 March 20, Conrad Landin, “\"Farcical\" Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act isn't working”, in RAIL, number 1005, page 24",
          "text": "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.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A hindrance, obstacle or impediment; an opportunity for error."
      ],
      "id": "en-stumbling_block-en-noun-E7EtqazR",
      "links": [
        [
          "hindrance",
          "hindrance"
        ],
        [
          "obstacle",
          "obstacle"
        ],
        [
          "impediment",
          "impediment"
        ],
        [
          "error",
          "error"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) A hindrance, obstacle or impediment; an opportunity for error."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "stepping stone"
        },
        {
          "word": "building block"
        }
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "hindrance"
        },
        {
          "word": "stumbling-block"
        },
        {
          "tags": [
            "obsolete"
          ],
          "word": "stumbling blocke"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "prepǎni-kamǎk",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "word": "препъни-камък"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "word": "障礙物"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "zhàng'àiwù",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "word": "障碍物"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "word": "絆腳石"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "bànjiǎoshí",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "word": "绊脚石"
        },
        {
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "word": "stumbligilo"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "word": "kompastuskivi"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "pierre d’achoppement"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "écueil"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Stolperstein"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Fallstrick"
        },
        {
          "code": "got",
          "lang": "Gothic",
          "roman": "bistugq",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "𐌱𐌹𐍃𐍄𐌿𐌲𐌵"
        },
        {
          "code": "got",
          "lang": "Gothic",
          "roman": "marzeins",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "𐌼𐌰𐍂𐌶𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃"
        },
        {
          "code": "grc",
          "lang": "Ancient Greek",
          "roman": "skándalon",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "σκάνδαλον"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "scoglio"
        },
        {
          "alt": "つまずきのいし",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "tsumazuki no ishi",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "word": "つまずきの石"
        },
        {
          "alt": "さまたげ",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "samatage",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "word": "妨げ"
        },
        {
          "code": "ki",
          "lang": "Kikuyu",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "tags": [
            "class-3"
          ],
          "word": "mũhĩnga"
        },
        {
          "code": "pdt",
          "lang": "Plautdietsch",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Aunstooss"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "pedra de tropeço"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "word": "obstáculo"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "kámenʹ pretknovénija",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "ка́мень преткнове́ния"
        },
        {
          "code": "gd",
          "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "cnap-starra"
        },
        {
          "code": "gd",
          "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "ceap-tuislidh"
        },
        {
          "code": "gd",
          "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "arrasbacan"
        },
        {
          "code": "gd",
          "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "oilbheum"
        },
        {
          "code": "gd",
          "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "word": "bò mhòr na cachaileith"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "escollo"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "word": "obstáculo"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "atascadero"
        },
        {
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "tags": [
            "common-gender"
          ],
          "word": "stötesten"
        },
        {
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "káminʹ spotykánnja",
          "sense": "hindrance",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "ка́мінь спотика́ння"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-stumbling block.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/d/df/En-au-stumbling_block.ogg/En-au-stumbling_block.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/En-au-stumbling_block.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "stumbling block"
}
{
  "etymology_templates": [
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      "args": {
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        "2": "grc-koi",
        "3": "πρόσκομμα",
        "notext": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Koine Greek πρόσκομμα (próskomma)",
      "name": "calque"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Probably originally from Romans 14:13 or 1 Corinthians 8:9 in the King James Version of the Bible, translating Koine Greek πρόσκομμα (próskomma).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "stumbling blocks",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "stumbling block (plural stumbling blocks)",
      "name": "en-noun"
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "stepping stone"
    },
    {
      "word": "building block"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
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      "categories": [
        "English countable nouns",
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English idioms",
        "English lemmas",
        "English multiword terms",
        "English nouns",
        "English terms calqued from Koine Greek",
        "English terms derived from Koine Greek",
        "English terms with audio links",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "Japanese terms with redundant script codes",
        "Mandarin terms with redundant transliterations",
        "Undetermined quotations with omitted translation",
        "Undetermined terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Idioms are a common stumbling block for learners of a language.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2024 March 20, Conrad Landin, “\"Farcical\" Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act isn't working”, in RAIL, number 1005, page 24",
          "text": "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.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A hindrance, obstacle or impediment; an opportunity for error."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "hindrance",
          "hindrance"
        ],
        [
          "obstacle",
          "obstacle"
        ],
        [
          "impediment",
          "impediment"
        ],
        [
          "error",
          "error"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) A hindrance, obstacle or impediment; an opportunity for error."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "hindrance"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
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      "audio": "En-au-stumbling block.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/d/df/En-au-stumbling_block.ogg/En-au-stumbling_block.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/En-au-stumbling_block.ogg",
      "tags": [
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  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "stumbling-block"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ],
      "word": "stumbling blocke"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "prepǎni-kamǎk",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "word": "препъни-камък"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "word": "障礙物"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "zhàng'àiwù",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "word": "障碍物"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "word": "絆腳石"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "bànjiǎoshí",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "word": "绊脚石"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "word": "stumbligilo"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "word": "kompastuskivi"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "pierre d’achoppement"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "écueil"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Stolperstein"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Fallstrick"
    },
    {
      "code": "got",
      "lang": "Gothic",
      "roman": "bistugq",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "𐌱𐌹𐍃𐍄𐌿𐌲𐌵"
    },
    {
      "code": "got",
      "lang": "Gothic",
      "roman": "marzeins",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "𐌼𐌰𐍂𐌶𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃"
    },
    {
      "code": "grc",
      "lang": "Ancient Greek",
      "roman": "skándalon",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "σκάνδαλον"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "scoglio"
    },
    {
      "alt": "つまずきのいし",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "tsumazuki no ishi",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "word": "つまずきの石"
    },
    {
      "alt": "さまたげ",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "samatage",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "word": "妨げ"
    },
    {
      "code": "ki",
      "lang": "Kikuyu",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "tags": [
        "class-3"
      ],
      "word": "mũhĩnga"
    },
    {
      "code": "pdt",
      "lang": "Plautdietsch",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Aunstooss"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "pedra de tropeço"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "word": "obstáculo"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "kámenʹ pretknovénija",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "ка́мень преткнове́ния"
    },
    {
      "code": "gd",
      "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "cnap-starra"
    },
    {
      "code": "gd",
      "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "ceap-tuislidh"
    },
    {
      "code": "gd",
      "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "arrasbacan"
    },
    {
      "code": "gd",
      "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "oilbheum"
    },
    {
      "code": "gd",
      "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "word": "bò mhòr na cachaileith"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "escollo"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "word": "obstáculo"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "atascadero"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "tags": [
        "common-gender"
      ],
      "word": "stötesten"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "káminʹ spotykánnja",
      "sense": "hindrance",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "ка́мінь спотика́ння"
    }
  ],
  "word": "stumbling block"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-01 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (f4fd8c9 and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

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