sword of damocles

listen to the pronunciation of sword of damocles
English - Turkish
(deyim) Demokles'in kılıcı, her an tehdit eden bir tehlike
her an tehdit eden tehlike
demokles'in kılıcı
English - English
A thing or situation which causes a prolonged state of impending doom or misfortune
{i} fable representing danger in a battle, threat, fear
Constant threat; imminent peril: "the Latin American debt, overhanging American banks like the sword of Damocles" (Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.)
a constant and immanent peril; "the possibility hangs over their heads like the sword of Damocles
sword of damocles

    Hyphenation

    sword of Da·mo·cles

    Turkish pronunciation

    sôrd ıv dämıkliz

    Pronunciation

    /ˈsôrd əv ˈdaməˌklēz/ /ˈsɔːrd əv ˈdæməˌkliːz/

    Etymology

    () From the following story: Damocles was an obsequious courtier in the court of Dionysius II of Syracuse, a fourth century BC tyrant of Syracuse. Damocles exclaimed that, as a great man of power and authority, Dionysius was truly fortunate. Dionysius offered to switch places with him for a day, so he could taste first hand that fortune. In the evening a banquet was held where Damocles very much enjoyed being waited upon like a king. Only at the end of the meal did he look up and notice a sharpened sword hanging directly above his head by a single horse-hair. Immediately, he lost all taste for the amenities and asked leave of the tyrant, saying he no longer wanted to be so fortunate. Dionysius had successfully conveyed a sense of the constant fear in which the great man lives.
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