hornets' nest

English

Alternative forms

• hornet's nest

Noun

hornets' nest (plural hornets' nests)

1. (literal) A hornets' nest.
2. (figurative) An unpleasant or controversial situation likely to be exacerbated by outside involvement.

   Coordinate terms: shitstorm; rat's nest

   • 1902, Francis Lynde, The Master of Appleby:

     Now what a-devil has set this hornet's nest of theirs abuzz so suddenly?

   • 2007, Tom Peavler, The Adjustment:

     Those articles in the tabloids stirred up a real hornets' nest.

Translations

a hornets' nest

• Finnish: herhiläispesä
• German: Hornissennest (de) n
• Slovene: osir m

an unpleasant or controversial situation

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 馬蜂窩 / 马蜂窝 (zh) (mǎfēngwō)

• Dutch: wespennest (nl) n
• Finnish: ampiaispesä
• German: Wespennest (de) n
• Hungarian: darázsfészek (hu)
• Italian: ginepraio (it)
• Russian: оси́ное гнездо́ n (osínoje gnezdó)
• Serbo-Croatian: osinje gnijezdo n
• Spanish: nido de avispas