英和和英

語源

The figurative sense comes by metaphor from the literal sense: the notion that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. (See historical details there.)

名詞

weakest link (plural weakest links)

1. (also figurative) The part of a system that is most likely to cause problems or fail.

同意語

• Achilles heel
• weak point

関連する語

• a chain is only as strong as its weakest link

Further reading

• Weakest Link (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• “weakest link”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “the weakest link”, in Collins English Dictionary.
• “the weak weakest link” in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman.