make a mountain out of a molehill Definition

molehill
noun

1. A little pile of earth thrown up by a burrowing mole (see mole¹).

Idiom: make a mountain out of a molehill

See under mountain.

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mountain
noun

1a. A very high, steep hill, often one of bare rock;

Thesaurus: elevation, height, peak, steep, palisade, precipice, cliff, butte.


Example: mountain peak
2. colloq
A great quantity; a heap or mass.
Example: a mountain of washing
Thesaurus: pile, mass, mound, heap.
Form: mountains of something (also)
3. A huge surplus of some commodity.

Example: a butter mountain

Derivative: mountainous

Said of a region, etc: containing many mountains.
Thesaurus: steep, lofty, hilly, alpine, elevated, craggy, rocky; Antonym: flat.

colloq
Huge; as big as a mountain.
Thesaurus: enormous, hulking, immense, prodigious; Antonym: small.

Idiom: make a mountain out of a molehill

To exaggerate the seriousness or importance of some trivial matter.

Etymology: 13c: from French montaigne, from Latin mons, montis mountain.