dragon's teeth

plural noun

1. informal,  conical or wedge-shaped concrete antitank obstacles protruding from the ground in rows: used in World War II

2. to take some action that is intended to prevent strife or trouble but that actually brings it about

Word History and Origins

Origin of dragon's teeth¹

sense 2 from the story of _Cadmus

Example Sentences

They run alongside raised banks of red earth, deep trenches and neat lines of anti-tank dragon's teeth concrete pyramids.

From BBC

In Ukraine's fourth summer of full-scale war the fields around Sumy are dotted with corn and sunflowers, not yet in bloom, and a crop of dragon's teeth - triangles of concrete which can stop tanks in their tracks.

From BBC

Serhiy's assault battalion helps plan these attacks – finding a way through Russian minefields and anti-tank obstacles known as "dragon's teeth".

From BBC

Last year, Estonia furnished the bridge with dragon's teeth – pyramidal anti-tank obstacles of reinforced concrete.

From BBC

It’s a lot simpler than Poole’s alternative: In The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, he writes, the monsters are “hatched from the dragon’s teeth America sowed in its own soil.”

From Slate