A tight cord is near snapping.
A tight cord is near snapping.
Meaning in plain English
A tight cord near snapping makes excessive tension an image of approaching failure. The saying asks whether a burden is becoming unsustainable.
Example
A group reduces an excessive workload after listening to the people carrying it.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The image is not an engineering calculation or a clinical prediction. A useful social application notices demands, asks about limits and adjusts conditions before assuming endurance is unlimited. It does not establish that every demanding situation will break someone or blame a person who needs support.
When to use it
Use it as a qualified excessive-pressure image, not a physical safety test.
Keep in mind
No failure threshold or diagnosis from tension is established.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Country attributed by the collection
Denmark · source-attributed; earliest origin unverified
- Source
- Contributor-provided wisdom reference
Supplied reference B; unit 731; PDF page 68; collection label: Denmark
Reuse and collection notes ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · supplied collection
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
- Undated
No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
- Contributor-confirmed reuse permission
Translations and rights may differ elsewhere.
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