first olive out of the bottle

first olive out of the bottle

1. An initial obstacle or hindrance, preventing further progress until it is dealt with.

   Synonym: first olive out of the jar

   • 1940, The Elevator Constructor, volume 37, page 26:

     The first paragraph of each month's article is the hardest to get out, it is like getting the first olive out of the bottle and after the first one is out the rest come easy.

   • 1961, Columbia Broadcasting System, “Comments of Senator John O. Pastore”, in Inc.:

     To me the important thing was to get the first olive out of the bottle. Once we got the first debate on, whether it was a debate or a “Face the Nation” or “Meet the Press” kind of program, this did not trouble me.

   • 1963, Engineering and Contract Record, volume 76, page 125:

     Now that Great Canadian have fished the first olive out of the bottle, Cities Services, Shell and Can-Amera all wanted development permits and were either applying for permission or countering someone else's application.