have a tiger by the tail

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have a tiger by the tail and have got a tiger by the tail; have a bear by the tail

Fig. to have become associated with something powerful and potentially dangerous; to have a very difficult problem to solve. You have a tiger by the tail. You bit off more than you could chew. You've had a bear by the tail ever since you agreed to finish that big project.

See also: have, tail, tiger

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? References in periodicals archive
Elevators Have a Tiger By the Tail This harvest season posed unexpected challenges for elevators, says Diana Klemme of Grain Service Corp. Elevators Have a Tiger By the Tail by Top Producer More results

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