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 (AU) (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.

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 (さまたげ, samatage)
Kikuyu: mũhĩnga class 3
Plautdietsch: Aunstooss m
Portuguese: pedra de tropeço m, obstáculo (pt)
Russian: ка́мень преткнове́ния (ru) m (kámenʹ pretknovénija)
Spanish: escollo (es) m, obstáculo (es), atascadero m
Swedish: stötesten (sv) c

References

The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], 1611, OCLC 964384981, 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 964384981, 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 964384981, 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 964384981, 1 Corinthians 8:9: “But take heed lest by any meanes, this libertie of yours become a stumbling blocke to them that are weake.”.