Poor infrastructure can be the Achilles’ heel of a growing economy.
A corrupt minister can become the Achilles’ heel of an otherwise stable government.
Mathematics was my Achilles’ heel during my school days.
The term comes from Greek mythology. Achilles was a legendary warrior known for his strength and invincibility in battle. However, he had one fatal weakness: his heel.
According to the myth, when Achilles was a baby, his mother Thetis dipped him into the River Styx, whose waters were said to have magical powers to grant invincibility. She held him by the heel, which remained dry and untouched by the magical water. As a result, this small area remained vulnerable.
Years later, during the Trojan War, Achilles was struck by an arrow shot by Paris that hit him in that very spot, leading to his death.
Thus, the term Achilles’ heel came to symbolize a small but critical weakness in someone or something that is otherwise strong or powerful.
