reluctant dragon
Pacifist mythical creature
A reluctant dragon is someone who appears threatening or is expected to be fierce but turns out to be gentle, peaceful, or unwilling to fight.
From Kenneth Grahame's 1898 story about a poetry-loving dragon who refuses to battle, the phrase describes anyone who defies aggressive expectations: He was supposed to be a tough negotiator, but he turned out to be a reluctant dragon.
- caveUnderground hollow in rock
- cave dwellerOne living in caverns
- recalcitrantStubbornly resistant to control
- smokeAirborne combustion byproduct
- conscientious objectorOne refusing military service morally
scales and claws · resistant · tail · intransigent · pacifist · inertia · curl · fire breathing · ahimsa · fire · antihero · gentle giant · Saint George · fairy tale · diplomacy · brave · poetry · book
reluctant dragonwarmonger
Advocate for armed conflict
berserker · fire-breather · attack dog · belligerent · militant
reluctant dragonwolf in sheep's clothing
Concealed threat appearing innocent
snake in the grass · smiling assassin · Trojan horse · false friend · sheep in wolf's clothing