sitting on a powder keg

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Fig. in a risky or explosive situation; in a situation where something serious or dangerous may happen at any time. (A powder keg is a keg of gunpowder.) Things are very tense at work. The whole office is sitting on a powder keg. The fire at the oilfield seems to be under control for now, but all the workers there are sitting on a powder keg.

See also: keg, powder, sitting

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In other words: we are sitting on a powder keg of inequality, injustice and insecurity, and it is about to explode," said Amnesty chief Irene Khan. World sitting on 'powder keg': Amnesty by AFP / AFP Global Edition Obviously angered by Nigeria's General Abacha's extraordinary unconcern for the opinions of other world leaders, Mandela told me: "Abacha is sitting on a powder keg and I am going to explode it beneath him. Should Mandela statue be in UK's Parliament Square (2) by Duodu, Cameron / New African The solicitor acting for the families of the soldiers, John Mackenzie, [ok] told him: "You were sitting on a powder keg. Three years on, Red Cap deaths examined by The Journal (Newcastle, England)			sit for an exam sit for portrait sit idly by sit in sit in judgment sit in judgment on sit on sit on arse sit on ass sit on hands sit on its hands sit on the fence sit out sit right with sit still for sit through sit tight sit up sit up and take notice sit up with sit well with sit with sitting sitting duck sitting on a gold mine sitting on a powder keg sitting pretty situation six six feet under six of one and half a dozen of the other six of one, half a dozen of the other six of the best sixth sense sixty sixty-four-dollar question size size up skate skate around skate on skate on thin ice skate over skeleton skeleton in the closet sketch sketch in sketch out skid skid across skid into			sitting for sitting heavy on the stomach sitting heavy on the stomach sitting heavy on the stomach sitting heavy on the stomach sitting height Sitting Height to Height Sitting Here Laughing Hysterically Sitting in Chair Laughing Sitting in Chair Snickering sitting in for sitting in for sitting in for sitting in for sitting in judgement sitting in judgement sitting in judgment sitting in judgment Sitting in My Chair Amused Sitting in My Chair Having A Jolly Good Chuckle Sitting in My Seat Laughing Sitting meditation (Zen) Sitting meditation (Zen) sitting member Sitting Naked In Front Of Computer sitting on sitting on sitting on sitting on sitting on a gold mine sitting on a powder keg sitting on arse sitting on arse sitting on arse sitting on arse Sitting on Chair Laughing Sitting on Floor Laughing sitting on hands sitting on hands sitting on hands sitting on hands Sitting on My Fat Ass sitting on tail sitting on tail sitting on tail sitting on tail sitting on the fence sitting on the fence sitting on the fence sitting on the fence sitting on the fence sitting on the stomach sitting on the stomach sitting on the stomach sitting on the stomach sitting out sitting out sitting out sitting out Sitting Pretty sitting room

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