Among the many famous lines in Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, is the following:
Lady Macbeth: 'We fail! But screw your courage to the sticking-place, and we'll not fail.'
I believe that the line is partially responsible for the coinage of sticking point, whose meaning today is quite different.
Examples of usage:
‘safety issues have been a sticking point in the negotiations’
‘This time the environment is shaping up as a key sticking point, due to concerns that some nations may use it as a protectionist measure.’
- ‘The movement of people is set to prove a major sticking point between the EU and the British government, which is seeking to curb immigration in the wake of the vote.’ [source]
Oxford Dictionary defines it
sticking point
An obstacle to progress towards an agreement or goal.
While Merriam-Webster claims that its first known use was in 1946, and defines it as
an item (as in negotiations) resulting or likely to result in an impasse
- What did William Shakespeare mean by sticking place?
Its meaning in Macbeth: be firm, unwavering, is radically different from today's sticking point.
What, or where is this sticking place today?
Is there any difference in meaning between sticking place and sticking point?