therein lies the rub
That is where the problem is found or located.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I want to travel, but therein lies the rub: I have no money.”
“We need to finish the project by tomorrow, but therein lies the rub: the software is not working yet.”
“The committee proposed a radical solution to improve efficiency, yet therein lies the rub, as the plan requires a budget that the company simply cannot afford.”
A misquotation or paraphrasing from Shakespeare's Hamlet: "ay, there's the rub".
- 01
devil lies in the details
Synonym of devil is in the details.
- 02
give the lie
To respond to an insult, accusation, or falsehood by saying the offender is lying, particularly in the context of provoking a challenge to a duel.
- 03
give the lie to
To reveal or prove (something) to be false; to refute.
- 04
I can't lie
To be honest, frankly, honestly.
- 05
I tell a lie
I am mistaken; I thought that what I said (or wrote) was true, but I have just realised that it is not.
- 06
let a sleeping dog lie
Alternative form of let sleeping dogs lie.
- 07
let sleeping dogs lie
To leave things as they are; especially, to avoid restarting or rekindling an old argument; to leave disagreements in the past.
- 08
lie at someone's door
To be the fault or responsibility of someone.
Last updated August 10, 2026