Advertisement
Advertisement
powder keg
noun
- a small, metal, barrellike container for gunpowder or blasting powder.
- a potentially dangerous situation, especially one involving violent repercussions.
powder keg
noun
- a small barrel used to hold gunpowder
- informal.a potential source or scene of violence, disaster, etc
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Origin of powder keg1
Discover More
Example Sentences
They say that the Israelis framed him in order to light the powder keg of religious war over the al-Aqsa compound.
Logic is a rare bird in these parts and Crimea is nothing short of a powder keg.
The Bossi-Fini law has become a political powder keg in Italy since the tragedy.
Gao says that China is a powder keg approaching the “explosion point.”
"There goes the powder keg under the water gate," cried Tomaso.
Otherwise he would have taken a chance on burning through his thongs at the candle in the powder keg.
It came out, too, how Billy Topsail had held the candle over the powder-keg.
Some time after Felipe's departure, Stephens went to his powder-keg and measured out three charges of blasting-powder.
She would have shuddered to see a man sit carelessly down upon a powder keg with a pipe in his mouth.
Advertisement
Discover More
Related Words
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse