Achilles' heel
This page is about the idiom Achilles' heel
Meaning
An Achilles' heel is a weakness that could result in failure.
For example
- He's a good golfer, but his Achilles' heel is his putting and it's often made him lose matches.
- The country's dependence on imported oil could prove to be its Achilles' heel if prices keep on rising.
Origin: From the ancient Greek myth of Achilles whose mother made him invulnerable to attack by dipping him headfirst into a sacred river when he was a baby. She was holding him by one foot, and the heel of this foot wasn't touched by the water so it became his "weak point" later in life.
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Contributor: Matt Errey