hornets' nest

hornets' nest

English

Alternative forms

• hornet's nest

Noun

hornets' nest (plural hornets' nests)

1. (literally) A hornets' nest.
2. (figuratively) An unpleasant or controversial situation likely to be exacerbated by outside involvement.
   • 1902, Francis Lynde, The Master of Appleby:

     Now what a-devil has set this hornet's nest of theirs abuzz so suddenly?

   • 2007, Tom Peavler, The Adjustment:

     Those articles in the tabloids stirred up a real hornets' nest.

Translations

a hornets' nest

Finnish: herhiläispesä German: Hornissennest (de) n Slovene: osir m

an unpleasant or controversial situation

Chinese: Mandarin: 馬蜂窩 (zh) Dutch: wespennest (nl) n Finnish: ampiaispesä German: Wespennest (de) n Hungarian: darázsfészek (hu) Russian: оси́ное гнездо́ n (osínoje gnezdó) Serbo-Croatian: osinje gnijezdo n Spanish: nido de avispas