end of one's rope/tether, at the/come to the

at the end of (one's) rope

Having reached a point of utter exhaustion or exasperation; in a state at which one has no more patience, endurance, or energy left. The baby's been crying all morning, and I haven't slept properly in days. I'm just at the end of my rope! He's at the end of his rope trying to get this issue resolved. Joshua has been throwing a tantrum all afternoon, and with all the other things I have to get done, I'm simply at the end of my rope!

See also: end, of, rope

at the end of (one's) tether

Completely worn out, exasperated, or exhausted; having no more patience, endurance, or energy left. Joshua has been throwing a tantrum all afternoon, and with all the other things I have to get done, I'm simply at the end of my tether! Daniel's been at the end of his tether for weeks now—he has seriously got to get a different job! The baby's been crying all morning, and I haven't slept properly in days. I'm just at the end of my tether!

See also: end, of, tether

come to the end of (one's) rope

To become completely worn out, exasperated, or exhausted; to have no more patience, endurance, or energy left. Joshua started throwing a tantrum this afternoon, and with all the other things I have to get done, I've just come to the end of my rope! We've been coming to the end of our ropes trying to get this issue resolved. Yes, I've come to the end of my rope—the baby's been crying all morning, and I haven't slept properly in days!

See also: come, end, of, rope, to

come to the end of (one's) tether

To reach or be close to a point of utter exhaustion or exasperation; to have no more patience, endurance, or energy left. The baby's been crying all morning, and I haven't slept properly in days. I'm just coming to the end of my tether! We've been coming to the end of our tethers trying to get this issue resolved. Yes, I've come to the end of my tether—the baby's been crying all morning, and I haven't slept properly in days!

See also: come, end, of, tether, to

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

at the end of one's rope

 and at the end of one's tether

Fig. at the limits of one's endurance. I'm at the end of my rope! I just can't go on this way! These kids are driving me out of my mind. I'm at the end of my tether.

See also: end, of, rope

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

at the end of (one's) rope

/tether

Out of energy or patience; exhausted or exasperated.

See also: end, of, rope

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

end of one's rope/tether, at the/come to the

To have exhausted one’s resources or abilities. The term alludes to a tethered (roped) animal that can graze only as far as the length of the rope permits. “Being run to the end of his Rope, as one that had no more Excuses to make,” wrote Sir John Chardin in 1686 (The Coronation of Solyman the Third). “I am at the end of my tether” was close to being a cliché by the time Royall Tyler used the line in his comedy The Contrast (first U.S. production in 1787).

See also: come, end, of, rope, to

The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer