sow dragon's teeth
Originating from Greek mythology, 'sow dragon's teeth' refers to actions that unintentionally cause trouble, deriving from the myth where dragon's teeth grew into warriors, leading to conflict.
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Definition
C1General
(idiomatic)To perform an action that unintentionally leads to trouble or conflict.
Example
- By cutting funding to the community program, the government may have sown dragon's teeth.
C1General
(idiomatic)To take an action meant to prevent trouble but which actually causes it.
Example
- His attempt to mediate between the two groups only sowed dragon's teeth, escalating the conflict.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "sow dragon's teeth":