sitting on a powder keg
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In imminent danger, in an explosive situation, as in Our office is sitting on a powder keg while management decides whether or not to close us down. This metaphoric term alludes to sitting on a keg of gunpowder that could go off at any moment. [First half of 1900s]
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Words nearby sitting on a powder keg
sit through, sit tight, sitting, Sitting Bull, sitting duck, sitting on a powder keg, sitting pretty, sitting room, sitting target, sitting tenant, sitting trot
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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