hornets' nest
Definition
Noun: 1. A nest built by hornets: The physical, papery structure created by hornets (a type of large wasp) to house their colony. 2. A highly contentious, dangerous, or volatile situation: A metaphor describing a circumstance that is fraught with difficulty, likely to provoke a strong, angry, or aggressive reaction if disturbed.
Usage Examples
Literal Meaning (Nest):
- The tree removal was delayed because they discovered a hornets' nest in a hollow branch.
- Do not approach a hornets' nest; the insects can be very aggressive in defending it.
Figurative Meaning (Volatile Situation):
- The journalist's investigation into the corruption scandal stirred up a real hornets' nest at city hall.
- Proposing changes to the traditional holiday schedule is a sure way to kick over a hornets' nest of complaints.
- The CEO walked into a hornets' nest of employee anger during the town hall meeting.
Advanced Usage
- The figurative use is almost always preceded by verbs like stir up, kick over, open, or walk into, which emphasize the act of provoking or encountering the trouble.
- The phrase can be used with or without a possessive apostrophe: hornets' nest or hornet's nest. Both are commonly accepted, with "hornets' nest" (plural possessive) being slightly more common for the literal nest.
Variants and Related Words
- Hornet: (noun) The large, stinging insect itself.
- Wasp's nest: (noun phrase) A similar literal nest built by wasps; can sometimes be used figuratively, though "hornets' nest" is the stronger, more common idiom for trouble.
Synonyms
- Figurative: Powder keg, minefield, can of worms, hot potato, quagmire, trouble spot.
Related Idioms
- To stir up a hornets' nest: To deliberately or accidentally cause a lot of trouble and angry reactions.
- His controversial comments on social media stirred up a hornets' nest.
- To kick over a hornets' nest: To provoke a strong and aggressive response through one's actions.
- The new policy kicked over a hornets' nest among the teaching staff.
Noun
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habitation for wasps or hornets
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a highly contentious or hazardous situation
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talk of invading Iraq stirred up a political hornets' nest
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