break a butterfly upon the wheel (English, verb)
expansion: break a butterfly upon the wheel (third-person singular simple present breaks a butterfly upon the wheel, present participle breaking a butterfly upon the wheel, simple past broke a butterfly upon the wheel, past participle broken a butterfly upon the wheel)
Senses:
glosses: To inflict a punishment out of all proportion to the offence.
glosses: To employ great exertions for insignificant ends.
Forms:
form: breaks a butterfly upon the wheel
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: breaking a butterfly upon the wheel
tags: participle
present
form: broke a butterfly upon the wheel
tags: past
form: broken a butterfly upon the wheel
tags: participle
past
form: break a butterfly on a wheel
tags: alternative
form: break a butterfly on the wheel
tags: alternative
form: break a butterfly upon a wheel
tags: alternative
form: break a fly on a wheel
tags: alternative
form: break a fly on the wheel
tags: alternative
form: break a fly upon a wheel
tags: alternative
form: break a fly upon the wheel
tags: alternative