Also: sword of Damocles Meaning of Idiom Damocles' Sword Damocles' sword refers to an impending disaster; a danger or disaster that could occur at any moment. For example: “Layoffs have been a sword of Damocles at this company for so long that most people are already looking for new jobs.” Notes: This idiom comes from an ancient Greek tale about a sword suspended by a single hair. That's not exactly its original meaning, however. Sword of Damocles Meaning. The Sword of Damocles is an object in a Greek legend that is designed to with the idiom used in reference to such a threat dating back to around 1747, along. Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary, a/the sword of Damocles hangs over (one's) head, the webmaster's page for free fun content, Crescendo against abortion law reaches fever pitch in Ireland following 'pregnant' Indian woman's death, Psychiatry's 'swords of Damocles': beneath the current haze of the election buzz, a national anticipatory panic is building up because of the looming "fiscal cliff," when massive government budget cuts are expected to have grave ramifications and bleak economic and existential repercussions, Why delay decision on baby units? Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013. classical myth a sycophant forced by Dionysius, tyrant of Syracuse, to sit under a sword suspended by a hair to demonstrate that being a king was not the happy … "Live by the sword, die by the sword" is a saying of Jesus quoted in the. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/Damocles%27+sword. What does the idiom “Sword of Damocles” mean? Phrases related to: sword of damocles Yee yee! Damocles was aspiring to be a ruler. An imminent and/or constant threat. Sort:Relevancy A - Z. live by the sword, die by the sword: One who uses violence can expect a violent response. verb . Updated April 12, 2018 The "sword of Damocles" is a modern expression, which to us means a sense of impending doom, the feeling that there is some catastrophic threat looming over you. All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. Usually used in the phrase "a/the sword of Damocles hangs over one/one's head." Meaning and origin of the English idiom Damocles' Sword (or sword of Damocles) with examples of use. 达摩克利斯剑（比喻随时可能发生的祸事） sword of Damocles If you have a sword of Damocles hanging over you/ your head , something bad seems very likely to happen to you. Damocles definition: a sycophant forced by Dionysius , tyrant of Syracuse , to sit under a sword suspended by... | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary, a/the sword of Damocles hangs over (one's) head, the webmaster's page for free fun content, Wanted: financial advisor with a minor in psychotherapy, The fast start; a former White House staff member lists seven ways the next president can make his administration a winner, 2014 completely changed the geography and politics of Andhra Pradesh, Johri's charge against CBI triggers uproar in House, Minority slams majority railroad of Charter change, damned if (one) does and damned if (one) doesn't, damned if I/you/they do, damned if I/you don't. Any imminent, impending, or eventual trouble, danger, or disaster. Thésaurus: synonymes et mots liés. jump to other results. a/the sword of Damocles (literary) a bad or unpleasant thing that might happen to you at any time and that makes you feel worried or frightened; See Damocles in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary. The threat of war has hung over the region like the sword of Damocles for nearly a decade. → sword of Damocles. Learn more. (From Where I Sit), sword of Damocles hanging over one's head, sword of Damocles hanging over someone's head, sword of Damocles hanging over their heads. DAILY POST OUR VIEW, (DIP) TURKISH FM SAYS HOPES U.S. HOUSE WILL NOT VOTE ON ARMENIAN RESOLUTION, The fight against light pollution: a call to arms, We're listening; but nobody's talking: a corporate communications executive calls on today's leaders to lead. The expression comes to us from the writings of the Roman politician, orator, and philosopher Cicero (106-43 BC). Impending danger or doom. sword of Damocles. ", When the courtier Damocles described Dionysius I, ruler of Syracuse (. In Greek mythology, the courtier Damocles was forced to sit beneath a sword suspended by a single hair to emphasize the instability of a king's fortunes. When Damocles told the king how fortunate he was, Dionysius offered to change places for a day. This symbolizes a constant feeling of dread, or apprehension. It is better to try to use peaceful means wherever possible. : Si une nouvelle guerre mondiale a été évitée, le monde d'aujourd'hui demeure en butte à des paradoxes et des défis considérables, avec une épée de Damoclès qui continue de menacer toute l'humanité. Damocles, (flourished 4th century bce), a courtier of Dionysius I of Syracuse, in Sicily, tyrant from 405 to 367 bce.The courtier is known to history through the legend of the “ Sword of Damocles.”. This symbolizes a … Although the story illustrates the insecurity of power and high position, in later applications the term was used to signify any kind of impending misfortune. When Damocles told the king how fortunate he was, Dionysius offered to change places for a day. A thing or situation which causes a prolonged state of impending doom or misfortune.. The idiom "Sword of Damocles" means any situation. Idioms. The parable later became a common motif in medieval literature, and the phrase sword of Damocles is now commonly used as a catchall term to describe a looming danger. fourth century bc. Spanish Translation of “to have the Sword of Damocles hanging over one's head” | The official Collins English-Spanish Dictionary online. If they get out of hand, they create very bad presidential management practices, With the threat of a leak hanging over his head like, Visa cancellation and deportation proceedings, however, hang 'like a, Though presently YSR Congress Party of Jaganmohan Reddy is the main opposition in Andhra, it's facing an uncertain future as a, Among them, the 2nd in the Atlantic, 3rd in the Eastern Europe, 5th in the Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean, 6th in the Mediterranean and 7th in the Western Pacific have not only terrorized the world but are hanging there like, As soon as the Lok Sabha met, leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj accused the government of using the CBI to protect some from the clutches of law, trap others and keep the, Lagman said Farinas' chairpersonship of the constitutional amendments committee put a ', Then the present TTP imbroglio hanging like a, Mumbai: Even as the imminent demolition of their homes hangs like, It will be interesting to see if this act saves Bagwe from the. sword of damocles. [/note],[note]Ayto, John. All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. Any imminent, impending, or eventual trouble, danger, or disaster. Oxford Di If you have a sword of Damocles hanging over you/your head, something bad seems very likely to…. Leading consultant obstetrician Dr Peter Boylan said that Irish abortion laws have become "like a, Both are hanging over the industryOs fortunes like the, Crvenkovski, who in the middle of Skopje demanded early elections, seems to be caught by fear, and now his demand has turned into a, It is not true to revive historical issues like the, Mr Clegg stressed cuts will begin next April and be spread over four years so there is no ", But the specter of light pollution looms over astronomy like a, The International Olympic Committee has kept the, Indeed, St David's Cathedral was built in a dip to afford protection from this deadly and daily threat - this, The possibility that Hollywood's studios could terminate contracts with creative talent under force majeure conditions has hung over the industry like the, G.'s solicitor likened the risk of bail being wrongly withdrawn to the "', Don't make us read the footnotes to find out that the. If you have a sword of Damocles hanging over you/ your head, something bad seems very likely to happen to you: The threat of a cut in funding is hanging over the Opera House like a sword of Damocles. One of its more famou… DAMOCLES is listed in the World's largest and most authoritative dictionary database of abbreviations and acronyms DAMOCLES is listed in the World's largest and most authoritative dictionary database of abbreviations and acronyms Check pronunciation: Damocles. Idioms. Frozen with fear that the thread would break, he pointed out the predicament to the king. The threat of war has hung over the region like Damocles' sword for nearly a decade. Such risk, the king added, comes as an integral part of power. Damocles définition, signification, ce qu'est Damocles: → sword of Damocles. In Greek mythology, the courtier Damocles was forced to sit beneath a sword suspended by a single hair to emphasize the instability of a king's fortunes. The new tax law is proving to be a sword of Damocles hanging over our very business model. damnedest noun, adjective; damning adjective; Damocles noun; damp adjective; damp noun; solve. Damocles is a character who appears in an (likely apocryphal) anecdote commonly referred to as "the Sword of Damocles", an allusion to the imminent and ever-present peril faced by those in positions of power. Learn more. This expression alludes to the legend of Damocles, a servile courtier to King Dionysius I of … We've found 36 phrases and idioms matching sword of damocles. Likewise, the saying hanging by a thread has become shorthand for a fraught or precarious situation. Spanish Translation of “Sword of Damocles” | The official Collins English-Spanish Dictionary online. → sword of Damocles 2. If you say that someone has the Sword of Damocles hanging over their head, you mean that they are in a situation in which something very bad could happen to them at any time. Impending disaster, as in The likelihood of lay-offs has been a sword of Damocles over the department for months. De très nombreux exemples de phrases traduites contenant "a sword of Damocles" – Dictionnaire français-anglais et moteur de recherche de traductions françaises. sword of Damocles. Video shows what sword of Damocles means. Damocles' sword. According to Greek legend, Damocles, a friend of King Dionysius of Syracuse, envied the ruler's great wealth and power. Dionysius nodded, acknowledging that the sword was a constant factor in his life, an actual and a metaphoric reminder that some person or circumstance might at any time cut the thread. It had been hanging over my head like the sword of Damocles. There above his head, held by only a single horsehair, hung a sharp sword pointing downward toward his chair. Now the news of my divorce is public, I’m relieved in a way. Nearby words . In Greek mythology, the courtier Damocles was forced to sit beneath a sword suspended by a single hair to emphasize the instability of a king's fortunes. Damocles, who had initially enjoyed the magnificence of the role, finds he cannot be happy with that threat over him and asks Dionysius to let him go. Definition: Something that causes a feeling of constant threat. [literary] As a Grand Prix driver, you have the Sword of … Traductions en contexte de "Sword of Damocles" en anglais-français avec Reverso Context : Maybe because hospitality remains under the threat of a double-edged Sword of Damocles. Over 100,000 Spanish translations of English words and phrases. Looking for online definition of DAMOCLES or what DAMOCLES stands for? (figuratively) One can expect dire outcomes from any vice; used to convey poetic justice. phrase. As Damocles dined at the head of the table, he happened to look up. Many businesses view the new tax law as a Damocles' sword hanging over their heads. An imminent and/or constant threat. fl. According to Greek legend, Damocles, a friend of King Dionysius of Syracuse, envied the ruler's great wealth and power. sword of Damocles definition: 1. Over 100,000 Spanish translations of English words and phrases. Any ever-present risk, especially one that's hanging by a thread, is how the phrase has been used. In Greek mythology, the courtier Damocles was forced to sit beneath a sword suspended by a single hair to emphasize the instability of a king's fortunes. Usually used in the phrase "a/the sword of Damocles hangs over one/one's head. De très nombreux exemples de phrases traduites contenant "sword of Damocles" – Dictionnaire français-anglais et moteur de recherche de traductions françaises. En savoir plus. [note]Ammer, Christine. The sword of damocles synonyms, The sword of damocles pronunciation, The sword of damocles translation, English dictionary definition of The sword of damocles. While a new world war has been avoided, the world of today is still fraught with untold paradoxes and challenges, and the sword of Damocles is still hanging over mankind. When Damocles accepts, Dionysius arranges to have a sword suspended by a hair over the throne so that Damocles might experience the constant sense of danger powerful people must endure. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. sword of Damocles. Damocles was an obsequious courtier in the court of Dionysius II of Syracuse, a 4th-century BC ruler of Syracuse, Sicily. Any imminent, impending, or eventual trouble, danger, or disaster. The term comes from the same Greek legend about Damocles that gave us hang by a thread. Constant threat; imminent peril: "the Latin American debt, overhanging American banks like the sword of Damocles" (Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.). The sword of Damocles hung over his head by a single horse hair. (A translation of the full anecdote from Cicero’s Many translated example sentences containing "sword of Damocles" – French-English dictionary and search engine for French translations. Damocles definition: 1. For Cicero, the tale of Dionysius and Damocles represented the idea that those in power always labor under the specter of anxiety and death, and that there can be no happiness for one who is under constant apprehensions. Subscribe for new idiom videos! https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/sword+of+Damocles, Any imminent, impending, or eventual trouble, danger, or disaster. 'S hanging by a thread, is how the phrase `` a/the sword of Damocles Yee Yee a of... 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