dangerous (redirected from dangerousness)

*armed and dangerous

Cliché [of someone who is suspected of a crime] having a gun or other lethal weapon and not being reluctant to use it. (This is part of a warning to police officers who might try to capture an armed suspect. *Typically: be ~; be regarded as ~; be presumed to be ~.) The murderer is at large, presumed to be armed and dangerous. The suspect has killed once and is armed and dangerous.

See also: and, arm

little knowledge is a dangerous thing and little learning is a dangerous thing

Prov. Cliché If you only know a little about something, you may feel you are qualified to make judgments when, in fact, you are not. After Bill read one book on the history of Venezuela, he felt he was an authority on the subject, but he wound up looking like a fool in discussions with people who knew a lot more about it than he did. A little learning is a dangerous thing.

See also: knowledge, little, thing

on shaky ground and on dangerous ground

Fig. [of an idea or proposal] on an unstable or questionable foundation; [of an idea or proposal] founded on a risky premise. When you suggest that we are to blame, you are on shaky ground. There is no evidence that we are at fault. The case for relying solely on nuclear energy seems to be on dangerous ground.

See also: ground

---

on dangerous ground

if you are on dangerous ground, you are talking about a subject which might upset or offend people The author is on dangerous ground when he starts criticizing modern women's literature. She sensed she was treading on dangerous ground when her father began to look rather annoyed.

See also: ground

---

on dangerous ground

likely to cause offense I know I'm on dangerous ground here, but it is a fact that some women do not find motherhood to be a magical experience.

See also: ground

on shaky ground

not supported very well Despite high retail prices and growing demand, the beef industry is still on shaky ground.

See also: ground