a powder keg

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a powder keg

a situation that could suddenly become extremely dangerous

Usage notes: A powder keg was a wooden container for gunpowder (= a substance used for making explosions).

We left just before the revolution, realizing that we were sitting on a powder keg.

See also: keg, powder

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References in periodicals archive	?		Idioms browser	?		Full browser	?
The Middle East is already a powder keg, without adding an additional conflict," Kouchner said on "France Inter" radio. French FM excludes "military option" to resolve Iranian nuclear issue by Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) Byline: International Crisis Group (ICG) Summary: The International Crisis Group (ICG) warns in a new report that the conflict in eastern Chad is a powder keg that can further destabilize the country if the government and the international community fail to tackle it. Eastern Chad conflict 'powder keg' with short fuse, NGO warns by The Daily Star (Beirut, Lebanon) There a mix of beer and impatience is a powder keg ready to go off. DAILY POST YOUR VOICE IN WALES: Binge Britain shame defies quick fixes by Daily Post (Liverpool, England)			A penny saved is a penny earned a pep talk a pick-me-up a piece of cake a piece of the action a piece of the pie a pied-à-terre a pig in a poke a pillar of strength a pink slip a pipe dream a piss-artist a piss-up a pit stop a pitched battle a place to call own a plain Jane a play on words a poacher turned gamekeeper a poison-pen letter a poisoned chalice a political football a poor man's a poor relation a port of call a powder keg a price on head a prima donna a prime mover a priori a prophet of doom a pub crawl a put-up job a Pyrrhic victory a quantum leap a queer fish a question mark over a quick fix a quick one a quick study a quid pro quo a race against the clock a race against time a race against time clock a rake-off a rap across the knuckles a rap sheet a rat fink a rat race a raw deal a ray of sunshine			A Poil La Strasse A point a poison-pen letter a poisoned chalice a political football a poor man's a poor relation a pop a pop a pop a port of call A Portable EMACS Library a portent of things to come A positive A positive blood A positive blood A positive blood A Positive Image A Posix Environment a posteriori a posteriori a posteriori A Posteriori (album) A Posteriori (album) A Posteriori (album) A posteriori distribution A posteriori probability A posteriori probability A Posteriori Probability Fast Hadamard Transform A Posteriori Wiener Filtering a powder keg A power A power supply A Powered-Down System Transmits No Data Packets A Practical Approach to a Durable Result A Practical Approach to a Durable Result A Practical Transit-Mapping Service A Prairie Home Companion A prendre a pretty kettle of fish a pretty kettle of fish a pretty kettle of fish a price on head a price on head a price on head a price on head a price on head a prima donna a prime mover A Prior A Prior a priori a priori a priori a priori À priori À priori À priori A priori and a posterior knowledge A priori and a posterior knowledge A priori and a posterior knowledge

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