Damocles' sword

Related to Damocles' sword: Damokles

Damocles' sword

Any imminent, impending, or eventual trouble, danger, or disaster. 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 threat of war has hung over the region like Damocles' sword for nearly a decade. Many businesses view the new tax law as a Damocles' sword hanging over their heads.
See also: sword
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • a/the sword of Damocles
  • sword of Damocles
  • a/the sword of Damocles hangs over (one)
  • a/the sword of Damocles hangs over (one's) head
  • Damocles
  • Damocles' sword hangs over (one)
  • Damocles' sword hangs over (one's) head
  • sword
  • hanging
  • the Sword of Damocles hangs over someone
References in periodicals archive
"Now the Damocles' sword hanging over ABB is finally a thing of the past," an ABB spokesman said.
The specter of eviction hangs like Damocles' Sword over the tenant's head throughout the process.
"We have to hold the proverbial Damocles' Sword over their heads to keep them on track."
If they get out of hand, they create very bad presidential management practices, With the threat of a leak hanging over his head like Damocles' sword, the president and his White House aides may severely limit the number of advisers who should be consulted or keep out technical experts who are not considered political loyalists.
Visa cancellation and deportation proceedings, however, hang 'like a Damocles' sword' over the nun, according to Solidarity with the Poor, a church network supporting Fox.
Though presently YSR Congress Party of Jaganmohan Reddy is the main opposition in Andhra, it's facing an uncertain future as a Damocles' Sword was hanging over his head in the form of a litany of cases of corruption and financial irregularities.
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 Damocles' sword.
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 Damocles' sword hanging on yet others to serve its narrow political ends.
Lagman said Farinas' chairpersonship of the constitutional amendments committee put a 'Damocles' sword' over other chairpersons who would open the committee deliberations into a free-flowing debate instead of railroading the majority's pet bills.
Then the present TTP imbroglio hanging like a Damocles' sword gives hardly any leeway to the present leadership having skeltons in their cupboard from their past political allies inclusive of their own.
Mumbai: Even as the imminent demolition of their homes hangs like Damocles' sword over their heads, the Kolis or fisherfolk of Sion-Koliwada area have vowed to demonstrate their courage this Dahi Handi festival by forming an eight-storey human pyramid.
It will be interesting to see if this act saves Bagwe from the Damocles' Sword.