a burr in someone's saddle
- idiom
- Archaic
:
una molestia constante
- Dealing with unreliable suppliers was a burr in her saddle throughout the project.
Examples
-
The loud construction next door proved to be a burr in their saddle during exam season.
-
The constant delays are just a burr in her saddle.
-
The new tax laws have become a burr in his saddle for months now.
-
Why is this issue such a burr in his saddle?
-
His constant complaints about the noise made him a burr in my saddle during the meeting.
-
For her, the unresolved issue of the broken promises remained a burr in his saddle throughout the campaign.
-
The delays in the project timeline became a burr in her saddle, frustrating her every step of the way.
Synonyms
109
9.2
A person or thing that is very annoying and difficult to deal with
43
7.2
A person or thing that often causes trouble
29
2.1
A thing that causes trouble or annoyance
11
4.1
A person or thing that is annoying and causes trouble
1
6.3
A person or thing that keeps causing trouble for someone
1
7.0
Something that keeps causing you trouble or worry
A small problem that keeps annoying you
Something that causes annoyance or trouble
Antonyms
How Annoying
- Informal
1
6.3
- Archaic
- Informal
19
6.3
62
3.6
27
3.6
Surface Forms
Morphology
a + burr + in + someone's + saddle
The phrase evokes the literal image of a burr stuck in a saddle causing ongoing discomfort, so a learner who knows 'burr' and 'saddle' can plausibly infer a recurring annoyance. However, the meaning relies on a metaphorical extension from physical irritation to a generalized, persistent problem (and on cultural knowledge of saddles), so it is not fully compositional or purely predictable.
Etymology
The phrase a burr in someone's saddle may come from a small, sticky seed called a burr getting stuck under a horse's saddle, where it would constantly poke and bother the rider and horse. That's why it now means a small problem that keeps 'annoying' someone.