HORNETS' NEST

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

Meaning:

Habitation for wasps or hornets

Synonyms:

hornet's nest; hornets' nest; wasp's nest; wasps' nest

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

Hypernyms ("hornets' nest" is a kind of...):

nidus (a nest in which spiders or insects deposit their eggs)

Meaning:

A highly contentious or hazardous situation

Example:

talk of invading Iraq stirred up a political hornets' nest

Synonyms:

hornet's nest; hornets' nest

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("hornets' nest" is a kind of...):

situation (a complex or critical or unusual difficulty)