hornets' nest

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hornets' nest

A boy carefully observes a hornets' nest hanging from a tree branch.

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.
hornets' nest

A boy carefully observes a hornets' nest hanging from a tree branch.

Noun
  1. habitation for wasps or hornets
  2. a highly contentious or hazardous situation
    • talk of invading Iraq stirred up a political hornets' nest

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