pandora's box

Pandora's box

P p

Transcription

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
- /pæn.ˈdɔː.rəz ˈbɑːks/
- /pæn.ˈdɔːəz bɒks/

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- /pæn.ˈdɔː.rəz ˈbɑːks/

Definitions of pandora's box words

noun pandora's box a source of extensive but unforeseen troubles or problems: The senate investigation turned out to be a Pandora's box for the administration. 1
noun pandora's box the box which Pandora, the first woman, was forbidden to open, and which released from all the ills that beset man 0
noun pandora's box a complex situation fraught with problems and pitfalls 0
noun pandora's box something causing or leading to such a situation 0

See all 4 definitions of pandora's box

Information block about the term

Origin of pandora's box

First appearance:

before 1570

One of the 33% oldest English words

First recorded in 1570-80

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Pandora's box

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

Full grammatical hierarchy of Pandora's box

pandora's box popularity

A pretty common term. Usually people know it’s meaning, but prefer to use a more spread out synonym. About 31% of English native speakers know the meaning and use word.

According to our data most of word are more popular. This word is almost not used. It has a much more popular synonym.

Synonyms for pandora's box

noun pandora's box

backstabber — someone who attacks another deceitfully, behind his or her back
can of worms — a complicated problem
dog's breakfast — a disorderly mixture; hodgepodge.
gordian knot — pertaining to Gordius, ancient king of Phrygia, who tied a knot (the Gordian knot) that, according to prophecy, was to be undone only by the person who was to rule Asia, and that was cut, rather than untied, by Alexander the Great.
hard nut to crack — a dry fruit consisting of an edible kernel or meat enclosed in a woody or leathery shell.

All 5 Synonyms of pandora's box