therein lies the rub

phrase

That is where the problem is found or located.

“I tried to back up my database to a USB flash drive, but it isn't big enough. Therein lies the rub.”

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

phrase

alternative there lies the rub · alternative there is the rub · alternative there's the rub

  1. idiomaticThat is where the problem is found or located.

    I tried to back up my database to a USB flash drive, but it isn't big enough. Therein lies the rub.

Origin

A misquotation or paraphrasing from Shakespeare's Hamlet: "ay, there's the rub".

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch daar wringt de schoen, daar wringt het schoentje
  • daar wringt de schoenthat is where the problem is
  • daar wringt het schoentjethat is where the problem is
Finnish siinä ongelma juuri piileekin
  • siinä ongelma juuri piileekinthat is where the problem is
French c'est là que le bât blesse
  • c'est là que le bât blessethat is where the problem is
German da liegt der Hase im Pfeffer, da liegt der Hund begraben
  • da liegt der Hase im Pfefferthat is where the problem is
  • da liegt der Hund begrabenthat is where the problem is
Greek τα κουμπιά της Αλέξαινας
  • τα κουμπιά της Αλέξαινας (ta koumpiá tis Aléxainas)that is where the problem is
Hebrew פה קבור הכלב
  • פה קבור הכלב (po kavur hakélev)that is where the problem is
Hungarian itt a bökkenő/gond, itt van a kutya elásva
  • itt a bökkenő/gondthat is where the problem is
  • itt van a kutya elásvathat is where the problem is
Italian qui casca l'asino
  • qui casca l'asinothat is where the problem is
Norwegian Bokmål der ligger hunden begravet
  • der ligger hunden begravetthat is where the problem is
Polish tu leży pies pogrzebany, tu jest pies pogrzebany
  • tu leży pies pogrzebanythat is where the problem is
  • tu jest pies pogrzebanythat is where the problem is
Russian вот где соба́ка зары́та
  • вот где соба́ка зары́та (vot gde sobáka zarýta)that is where the problem is
Spanish la madre del cordero
  • la madre del corderothat is where the problem is
Swedish här ligger en hund begraven
  • här ligger en hund begraventhat is where the problem is
Turkish sıkıntı orada
  • sıkıntı oradathat is where the problem is
Cite this entry
APA

therein lies the rub. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/therein%20lies%20the%20rub

MLA

“therein lies the rub.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/therein%20lies%20the%20rub. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “therein lies the rub,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/therein%20lies%20the%20rub.

Source: therein lies the rub on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.