sweat the small stuff

English

Etymology

From the combination, possibly boosted by its alliterativeness, of sweat in its colloquial sense meaning to worry, and small stuff designating petty issues.

Pronunciation

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Verb

sweat the small stuff (third-person singular simple present sweats the small stuff, present participle sweating the small stuff, simple past and past participle sweated the small stuff or sweat the small stuff)

1. (idiomatic) To worry about petty issues or insignificant matters.
   • 2017 April 20, Tim Urban, “Neuralink and the Brain’s Magical Future”, in Wait But Why‎^[1], retrieved 2017-04-21:

     The prefrontal cortex is the other character in those internal battles that go on in your life. [...] The higher being who wishes you’d stop sweating the small stuff.

Related terms

• don't sweat the small stuff

Translations

to worry about petty issues or insignificant matters

• Hungarian: túlaggódja magát, apróságok miatt aggódik/aggodalmaskodik
• Spanish: ahogarse en un vaso de agua (es)