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Saturday 2 June 2012

'A chain is only as strong as its weakest link' proverb with origin and meaning



Origin

We are most likely these days to come across the phrase 'the weakest link' in reference to the popular TV quiz show of that name, which originated in the UK, hosted by Anne Robinson, and was later syndicated for use in many other countries.

The show, which relies on the demonstration of the abysmal lack of general knowledge by many of the participating contestants, is an example of the many 'humiliation television' shows of the early 21st century and is a sad spectacle.

Meaning

The proverb has a literal meaning, although the 'weakest link' referred to is figurative and usually applies to a person or technical feature rather than the link of an actual chain.


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