rear its (ugly) head

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rear its (ugly) head

Of a difficult, unpleasant problem, to present itself and force people to deal with it. Fundamentalist extremism has been rearing its head all around the world over the last couple years. I can't believe tax day is already rearing its ugly head again.
See also: head, rear
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

rear its ugly head

Fig. [for something unpleasant] to appear or become obvious after lying hidden. Jealousy reared its ugly head and destroyed their marriage. The question of money always rears its ugly head in matters of business.
See also: head, rear, ugly
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

rear its ugly head

Appear. This phrase is used only of something undesirable or unpleasant, as in The interview went very well until a question about his academic record reared its ugly head . This expression was first recorded in slightly different form in Anthony Trollope's Barchester Towers (1857): "Rebellion had already reared her hideous head."
See also: head, rear, ugly
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

rear its head

or

raise its head

COMMON If something unpleasant rears its head or raises its head, it starts to appear or be active, often when it had stopped or been hidden for a period. Now the same ugly forces of racial hatred are beginning to rear their heads again. The familiar pattern of violence is raising its head once again in the region. Note: People often say that something unpleasant rears or raises its ugly head. We will not allow hooliganism to rear its ugly head again.
See also: head, rear
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

rear its (ugly) head

(of an unpleasant matter) emerge; present itself.
See also: head, rear
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

rear/raise its (ugly) ˈhead

(used of something considered unpleasant) appear again after being hidden or forgotten: Political corruption has reared its ugly head again. ♢ Famine has raised its head again in many parts of the world.
See also: head, raise, rear
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
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References in periodicals archive ?
Then I look again and what is that monstrosity rearing its ugly head over the roof?
Despair at decisions; LETTERS
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IT'S UGLEE RUMOURS
What a shame when chavvy, low-life behaviour like that starts rearing its ugly head here.
There's no room for yobs in this society
Casting a shadow The whip issue is rearing its ugly head again and I am beginning to dread Cheltenham and Aintree, with the prospect of fantastic racing being overshadowed by a string of whip offences.
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ONCE again we see inequality in our society rearing its ugly head.
Cuts only affect poor; Your shout
Achuthanandan hinted that Christian and Muslim fundamentalism was rearing its ugly head in Kerala.
Parties accuse each other of causing religious strife
One that keeps rearing its ugly head is letters sent to people telling them they have won the Spanish lottery.
WALES: BE ON YOUR GUARD FOR THESE CONS; N.WALES TARGETS CON ARTISTS
I SEE from reading the papers that the greed of Westminster might be rearing its ugly head again.
Letter: MAILBAG - Put 'Great' back in Britain
A It's likely your dog has a very strong attachment to you and jealousy is rearing its ugly head. It sounds like he is unwilling to share your affections with other members of your family after he's spent the day with you.
animal magic: Help, I'm a victim of cocker rage!
I SEE in The Journal of December 7 that once more the wind farm con trick is rearing its ugly head, with Castle Morpeth Council's ruling being overturned by a Government inspector.
Letter: Voice of the North - Wind farm case has a hole blown in it
In the past year, however, we have become concerned that GM's traditional organizational arrogance is rearing its ugly head again and that they are underestimating how much they still have to do to remain successful in this market.
Why Japanese OEMs do so well--& what Detroit can do to regain market
Murder, greed, voodoo and visitations from the dead fuel Lita's volcanic anger, but her outbursts cannot keep her daughters from growing up, her father from dying, her aunts from being crazy, or her past from rearing its ugly head.
Lita
RACISM has a habit of rearing its ugly head in the most unusual places.
YOUR SAY: Racism is an illness
It was heartening to see the immediate response to the threat of fascism rearing its ugly head once again.
Letter: A fair deal
Dr Rogan Taylor, director of the Football Research Unit at Liverpool University, admitted the incidents were worrying, but was not surprised to see the problem of hooliganism rearing its ugly head once again.
Hooliganism 'always there'
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