seek a knot in a bulrush

verb

To find problems where none exist.

OriginLatin nōdum in scirpō quaerō →
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Meanings

verbseek a knot in a bulrush (third-person singular simple present seeks a knot in a bulrush, present participle seeking a knot in a bulrush, simple past and past participle sought a knot in a bulrush)

present singular third person seeks a knot in a bulrush · participle present seeking a knot in a bulrush · participle past sought a knot in a bulrush · past sought a knot in a bulrush · alternative seek knots in a bulrush · alternative seek knots in bulrushes · alternative look for a knot in a bulrush

  1. archaicTo find problems where none exist.

    When others, with dirty hands, strive to cleanse these psalms, they seem to seek a knot in a bulrush and (to put the matter in a word) while they polish they pollute.

    2002, Dr Martin Garrett, Sidney: The Critical Heritage, →ISBN, page 138

Origin

  1. Latinnōdum in scirpō quaerō
  2. Englishseek a knot in a bulrush

Calque of Latin nōdum in scirpō quaerō.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish keksiä vikoja, saivarrella
  • keksiä vikojato find problems where none exist
  • saivarrellato find problems where none exist
French chercher midi à quatorze heures
  • chercher midi à quatorze heuresto find problems where none exist
Hungarian a kákán is csomót keres
  • a kákán is csomót keresto find problems where none exist
Romanian căuta nod în papură
  • căuta nod în papurăto find problems where none exist
Cite this entry
APA

seek a knot in a bulrush. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/seek%20a%20knot%20in%20a%20bulrush

MLA

“seek a knot in a bulrush.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/seek%20a%20knot%20in%20a%20bulrush. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “seek a knot in a bulrush,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/seek%20a%20knot%20in%20a%20bulrush.

Source: seek a knot in a bulrush on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.