«La gota que derramó el vaso

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• Meaning

This idiom, which is usually shortened for «this was the last Straw…», means that someone, who is usually a resistant person, has reached the limit of their endurance and collapses or breaks into a mad streak.

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• Origin

Being the original 1677 expression, «the last feather that broke the horse´s back», this expression was originally intended to mean that cargo animals which are well known for having a high limit of endurance, would get their backs broken if even a tiny light thing as an extra feather  was added. It was Charles Dickens who, in the 1800´s changed this expression into «The Straw that broke the camel´s back». If any person who is well known for having a really high endurance, is burden with more and more trouble or stress, that person would finally collapse.

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• Example

After being bullied for some months, Johnny decided to take Tae Kwon Do classes where he was taught that violence was never a resource to resort to. One day, while being bullied, he mentally repeated his mantra «The wise man never resorts to violence.» But after a while, he just shouted, «Enough is enough, This is the last straw that broke the camel´s back,» and started kicking everybody until they beeged for piety!

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