sitting on a powder keg

sitting on a powder keg
sitting on a powder keg
Fig. in a risky or explosive situation; in a situation where something serious or dangerous may happen at any time. (A powder keg is a keg of gunpowder.) •

Things are very tense at work. The whole office is sitting on a powder keg.

The fire at the oil field seems to be under control for now, but all the workers there are sitting on a powder keg.

* * *
See: SIT ON A VOLCANO.

Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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