time bomb

American  

noun

1. a bomb constructed so as to explode at a certain time.

2. a situation, condition, etc., resembling such a bomb in having disastrous consequences in the future.

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time bomb British  

noun

1. a bomb containing a timing mechanism that determines the time at which it will detonate

2. a situation which, if allowed to continue, will develop into a serious problem

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time bomb Idioms  

1. A situation that threatens to have disastrous consequences at some future time, as in That departmental dispute is a time bomb just waiting to go off. This term alludes to an explosive device that is set to go off at a specific time. [First half of 1900s]

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Etymology

Origin of time bomb

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

In other words, this was a time bomb waiting to go off.

From BBC

But being around them is a ticking time bomb.

From The Wall Street Journal

He likens the court documents on top of his desk to a time bomb that he refuses to touch.

From The Wall Street Journal

Everyone was looking at him, as if he were six and throwing a temper tantrum, or like he was a time bomb, about to erupt any second.

From Literature

Read: Why copper is a ‘ticking time bomb for explosive price action’

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• powder keg