a fly in the ointment

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someone or something that spoils a situation which could have been successful or pleasant The only fly in the ointment was my mother, who insisted on whispering through the first half of the show.

See also: fly, ointment

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Demand is a fly in the ointment for the bulls, but distillate demand may be better than it looks with exports overstated," they said. Crude oil spikes to 82 dollars in NY by Times of Oman (Muscat, Oman) If there''s a fly in the ointment, so to speak, about this phenomenon it''s that certain elements in the Chinese criminal underworld still tend to look at copyright laws as something that doesn''t apply to them. French President Nicolas Sarkozy Thanks Chinese Men for Buying Their ... by Jennifer Reyes / Women's issues/gender studies community But hold on - there's apparently a fly in the ointment, and it's wearing big boots and a bobble hat. Football: Fringe benefits lost for Benitez; RED WATCH by Daily Post (Liverpool, England)			a fat lot of good a fate worse than death a faux pas a favourite son a feather in cap a feeding frenzy a feel for a femme fatale a fender bender a few fries short of a Happy Meal a fifth wheel a fifty-fifty chance a fig leaf a fighting chance a figment of imagination a figure of fun a fine kettle of fish a fine line a finger in every pie a firm hand on the tiller a fish out of water a fishing expedition a flash in the pan a flight of fancy a flip-flop a fly in the ointment a fly on the wall A fool and his money are soon parted a fool's errand A for effort a force to be reckoned with a foregone conclusion a four-letter word a frame of mind a Frankenstein's monster a free agent a free ride a free spirit a free-for-all a French letter A friend in need a frog in throat a fuddy-duddy a full plate a full-court press a funny farm a game plan a gas guzzler a generation gap a gentle giant a ghost of a chance			a figment of the imagination a figure of fun A Fine Good Organization a fine kettle of fish a fine kettle of fish a fine kettle of fish a fine line a fine state of affairs a finger in every pie A Fire Inside a firm hand on the tiller A First Attack Assessment Model A Fish Out of Water a fishing expedition A Fistful of Boomstick A Fistful of Dollars a flash in the pan A flat a flea in (one's) ear a flea in (one's) ear a flea in (one's) ear a flea in ear a flea in ear a flea in ear A flea in the ear a flight of fancy a flight of fantasy a flight of imagination a flip-flop A Flock of Seagulls a fly in the ointment a fly on the wall A Flying Kiwi Experience A Fool and His Money Are Soon Parted A Fool and His Money Are Soon Parted A Fool with a Tool Is Still a Fool a fool's errand A for Apple A for effort A for effort A Force of One A Force to Be Reckoned With A Force to Be Reckoned With a force to reckon with a foregone conclusion A Forgotten Tragedy A forlorn hope A form DNA A form DNA A form DNA A form DNA a format A Formation Flying and Communication Instrument a fortiori a fortiori A fortiori argument A fortiori argument A Foundation for African Children Today A Foundation for Healthy Family Living A Foundation for Theological Education A Fountain of Bargains

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