Tempest in a teapot
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tempest in a teapot is a common phrase in American English, meaning a small event that has been exaggerated out of proportion. The British equivalent of the phrase is storm in a teacup. There are also lesser known variants, such as storm in a cream bowl and storm in a wash-hand basin.
The phrase is at least a century and a half old, and can be freely used in polite and formal conversation. For example, in the January 1838 edition of the defunct The United States Democratic Review, an article regarding the Supreme Court used the phrase. To quote: “This collegiate tempest in a teapot might serve for the lads of the University to moot; but, surely, was unworthy the solemn adjudication attempted for it.”[1]
[edit] References
- ^ World Wide Words - Tempest in a teapot, accessed 23 December 2006
