Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
explode in one's face
English answer:
suddenly turn out to have unexpected and undesirable consequences.
Added to glossary by
literary
Dec 22, 2007 14:30
16 yrs ago
3 viewers *
English term
explode in one's face
English
Art/Literary
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
I need the metaphorical meaning, something like "change everything violently".
Responses
| 4 +4 | suddenly turn out to have unexpected and undesirable consequences. |
Jack Doughty
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| 4 +2 | goes disastrously wrong for the person planning it |
Patricia Townshend (X)
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Responses
+4
7 mins
Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
&
English
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
Translator since 1953
Native in: English
Works in: Russian to English, German to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
80
Selected
suddenly turn out to have unexpected and undesirable consequences.
Doesn't necessarily have to be literally violent. Usually about some pet scheme which turns out to have a disastrous result.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Refugio
21 hrs
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Thank you.
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| agree |
V_Nedkov
1 day 5 hrs
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Thank you.
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| agree |
Richard Benham
: So far as I know, it refers to early firearms, which were said to be more dangerous for the user than for the target, precisely because they often literally exploded in the former's face.
1 day 8 hrs
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Thank you. That sounds very likely.
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| agree |
jccantrell
1 day 13 hrs
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Thank you.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks!"
+2
7 mins
Patricia Townshend (X)
South Africa
Native in English
&
English
Works in field
Related KudoZ points
:
4
English term (edited):
explode in one\'s face
goes disastrously wrong for the person planning it
if a plan or situation blows up in your face, it has a disastrous effect on you instead of the result you expected. The implication is that the tables are being turned in that what you planned for someone else is now happening to you.
Discussion