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idiom

a chain is only as strong as its weakest link

ah CHAYN iz OH-nlee az STRONG az its WEEK-est LINK

ə tʃeɪn ɪz ˈoʊnli æz strɒŋ æz ɪts ˈwiːkɪst lɪŋk

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Syllable breakdown

achainisonlyasstrongasitsweakestlink

Dictionary meaning

a system, team, or organisation is ultimately limited in its overall strength or reliability by its most vulnerable, least capable, or most poorly supported component; the proverb is used to argue for investing in the development and support of the least advantaged members of a team or community rather than concentrating resources exclusively on the strongest; it also warns that even a highly capable group can fail because of a single weak point in its structure or process

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UN-der the WETH-er

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