tiger by the tail
Risky grip maintained
To have a tiger by the tail is to be in a situation that's dangerous to maintain but equally dangerous to abandon.
You've grabbed hold of something powerful and volatile—a risky venture, a difficult person, an escalating conflict—and now letting go seems as perilous as holding on: We thought the merger would be easy, but we've got a tiger by the tail.
- lion's denFierce feline's dwelling
- catch-22Paradoxical no-win situation
- hornet's nestAggressive insect hive
- powder kegVolatile, dangerous situation
- ticking time bombLooming inevitable disaster
loaded gun · double-edged sword · playing with fire · between a rock and a hard place · tight spot · Pandora's box · hot potato · hot water · uphill battle · impasse · slippery slope · wildfire · snake pit · storm cloud · skating on thin ice · third rail · monkey business · tipping point
tiger by the tailin control
Managing with authority
in the driver's seat · under control · smooth sailing · calling the shots · holding all the cards
tiger by the tailsafe as houses
Extremely secure or reliable
on solid ground · out of harm's way · in control · smooth sailing · safe harbor
tiger by the tailpiece of cake
Idiomatic easy task
walk in the park · under control · easy as pie · cakewalk · breeze
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