Idioms

hornet's nest

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hornet's nest

1. A dangerous, complicated situation. If we do invade, I fear that we will find ourselves in a real hornet's nest. Man, what was supposed to be a straightforward merger has turned into a real hornet's nest. I wonder if we should try to get out of it now. Can you make sense of this hornet's nest? It seems like a real morass to me.
2. A situation that produces angry reactions. The politician's off-the-cuff remark about pollution stirred up a hornet's nest among environmentalists. Unless you enjoy kicking up a hornet's nest, do not say anything flip like that in front of the parents. The actor's inappropriate social media posts have stirred up quite a hornet's nest in Hollywood.
See also: nest
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

a hornets' nest

a situation fraught with trouble, opposition, or complications.
1992 New Scientist The notion of these ‘life patents’ has opened up a hornets' nest of moral, legal, social and scientific concerns.
See also: nest
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

a ˈhornet’s nest

a lot of trouble: When Charles got the manager’s job, it stirred up a real hornet’s nest, because everyone was angry about his fast promotion.
A hornet is a large wasp that has a very powerful sting.
See also: nest
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
See also:
References in periodicals archive
"We can stand side by side and talk about a piece of art and explore it together." Many audience members have voiced the desire to act on ideas generated in Hornets' Nest conversations.
WHAT'S NEXT: This season the Hornets' Nest will expand to four plays and Greer and Betley believe they will remain in the 180-seat theatre as opposed to the Geva mainstage space.
The bees are carried back to the hornets' nest to be fed to larvae.
The course will include props such as animatronic creatures, a potting shed, hornets' nest, mushrooms and a wooden bridge.
Tamsin Harman was walking Reggie, her cavalier King Charles spaniel, in woods off Stuart Place when he discovered something interesting to sniff - a hornets' nest.
It seems to me the master plan of invading Iraq in 2003, by the allies, has not only removed Saddam Hussein, but it has stirred up an hornets' nest.
Ferguson, Dingwall CHRIS Hoy said he didn't wish to comment on independence because it would open a hornets' nest. It's got nothing to do with anybody else how he feels the vote should go.
To celebrate the DVD and Blu-ray release of The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest from Momentum Pictures, one lucky reader will win an iPod Touch and MacBook Pro.
Unstoppable 12A, 98mins The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest 15, 147 mins WHENEVER you see the name Scott in the slot marked director, you just have to cross your fingers and hope it's preceded by Ridley, rather than Tony.
Hailed "the thriller of the decade" The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest launches into cinemas today.
The author of this book is a well known writer of the left who likes stirring up hornets' nests, especially if the hornets are well known.
Birmingham City Council and the police said they could do nothing about the problem last night A spokeswoman for the city council said the duty environmental health officer would not be available until 8.45am today and a spokeswoman for West Midlands Police said they were not equipped to deal with hornets' nests.
Thousands of football-shaped hornets' nests are dotted all over the forests of Aquitaine, the southwestern region of France popular with tourists.
The pests targeted are grey squirrels, wasps, hornets' nests, rats and mice.
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