loose cannon
The term "loose cannon" originated from the naval context, where a cannon that broke free could cause significant damage due to its uncontrolled movement. It is now used to describe unpredictable and potentially harmful behavior.
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Definition
C1General
(idiomatic, informal)An unpredictable person whose actions can cause harm or disruption.
Example
- John's unpredictable decisions in the meeting earned him the reputation of being a loose cannon.
- The team's new member is a loose cannon, often causing more trouble than help.
C1Organizational
(idiomatic, informal)An individual within a group or organization whose actions are uncontrolled and potentially harmful.
Example
- Her tendency to act without consulting others made her a loose cannon in the project team.
- The politician's off-script remarks turned him into a loose cannon for his party.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "loose cannon":
screw looseloose fishon the looseloose offloose endhand cannonout of controllet loosecut loosewild mancannon fodder