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beard the lion
To confront risk or danger head on, especially for the sake of possible personal gain. Refers to a proverb based on a Bible story from I Samuel, in which a shepherd, David, hunts down a lion that stole a lamb, grasps it by the beard, and kills it. Risks very often don't turn out well, but if you don't face them and beard the lion, you will never achieve the success you truly desire.
the lion's den
A particularly dangerous, hostile, or oppressive place or situation, especially due to an angry or sinister person or group of people within it. I felt like I was walking into the lion's den when I went in front of the board for my annual review.
a live dog is better than a dead lion
It is better to be a living coward than a dead hero. I called for help rather than running into the burning building because a live dog is better than a dead lion.
ass in a lion's skin
A blustering fool. The "ass" here is a donkey, trying to portray itself as a strong and powerful lion. Can you believe the boss yelled at me because he thought—wrongly—that I'd handed in my budget late? Geez, he's such an ass in a lion's skin!
escape the bear and fall to the lion
To avoid a frightening or problematic situation, only to end up in a worse one later. A: "After I swerved to avoid hitting a pedestrian, I wound up in oncoming traffic, and my car was totalled." B: "That's awful. You escaped the bear and fell to the lion."
put (one's) head in the lion's mouth
To subject oneself to danger or trouble. I really put my head in the lion's mouth by sneaking out of the house late at night. I think you're putting your head in the lion's mouth by driving in such torrential rain.
beard the lion in his den
and beard someone in his denProv. to confront someone on his or her own territory. I spent a week trying to reach Mr. Toynbee by phone, but his secretary always told me he was too busy to talk to me. Today I walked straight into his office and bearded the lion in his den. If the landlord doesn't contact us soon, we'll have to beard him in his den.
Better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion.
Prov. It is better to be the leader of a less prestigious group than to be a subordinate in a more prestigious one. Joe: I can be the headmaster of a small secondary school, or I can be a teacher at a famous university. Which job offer do you think I should take? Nancy: Better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion. A professional writing workshop had asked Bob to join, but he elected to stay with his amateur group, since he thought it better to be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion.
lion's share of something
Fig. the largest portion of something. I earn a lot, but the lion's share goes for taxes. The lion's share of the surplus cheese goes to school cafeterias.
March comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb,
and In like a lion, out like a lamb.Prov. The month of March usually starts with cold, unpleasant weather, but ends mild and pleasant. (Either part of the proverb can be used alone.) March certainly is coming in like a lion this year; there's been a snowstorm every day this week. Jill: Today is March twenty-fifth, and it's beautiful and warm outside, when just two weeks ago, everything was covered with ice. Jane: In like a lion and out like a lamb, all right.
*strong as a horse
and *strong as an ox; *strong as a lionCliché [of a living creature] very strong. (*Also: as ~.) Jill: My car broke down; it's sitting out on the street. Jane: Get Linda to help you push it; she's as strong as a horse. The athlete was strong as an ox; he could lift his own weight with just one hand. The football player was strong as a lion.
throw someone to the wolves
Fig. to sacrifice someone to save the rest; to abandon someone to harm. (Fig. on the image of giving one person to the wolves to eat so the rest can get away.) Don't try to throw me to the wolves. I'll tell the truth about the whole affair! The investigation was going to be rigorous and unpleasant, and I could see they were going to throw someone to the wolves.
throw somebody to the wolves
to put someone in a situation where there is nothing to protect them Are illegal foreign workers going to be thrown to the wolves, or will we try to regulate their employers?
beard somebody in their den
also beard the lion in their den to visit an important person in the place where they work, in order to tell or ask them something unpleasant A group of journalists bearded the director in his den to ask how he was going to deal with the crisis. Who's going to beard the lion in her den and explain what's gone wrong?
the lion's share
the biggest part of something The lion's share of the museum's budget goes on special exhibitions.
See beard in denfeed/throw somebody to the lions
to cause someone to be in a situation where they are criticized strongly or treated badly and to not try to protect them No one prepared me for the audience's hostility - I really felt I'd been fed to the lions.
the lions' den
an unpleasant situation in which a person or group of people criticizes you or your ideas It's your turn for the lions' den. Gordon wants to see you in his office now.
throw somebody to the wolves
(British, American & Australian) also leave somebody to the wolves (Australian) to cause someone to be in a situation where they are criticized strongly or treated badly and to not try to protect them No one warned me what sort of people I would be dealing with. I felt I'd been thrown to the wolves.
beard the lion
Confront a danger, take a risk, as in I went straight to my boss, bearding the lion. This term was originally a Latin proverb based on a Bible story (I Samuel 17:35) about the shepherd David, who pursued a lion that had stolen a lamb, caught it by its beard, and killed it. By Shakespeare's time it was being used figuratively, as it is today. Sometimes the term is amplified to beard the lion in his den, which may combine the allusion with another Bible story, that of Daniel being shut in a lions' den for the night (Daniel 6:16-24).
lion's share
The greater part or most of something, as in Whenever they won a doubles match, Ethel claimed the lion's share of the credit, or As usual, Uncle Bob took the lion's share of the cake. This expression alludes to Aesop's fable about a lion, who got all of a kill because its fellow hunters, an ass, fox, and wolf, were afraid to claim their share. [Late 1700s]
throw to the wolves
Also, throw to the dogs or lions . Send to a terrible fate; sacrifice someone, especially so as to save oneself. For example, Leaving him with hostile reporters was throwing him to the wolves, or If Bob doesn't perform as they expect, they'll throw him to the lions. All three hyperbolic terms allude to the ravenous appetite of these animals, which presumably will devour the victim. The first term comes from Aesop's fable about a nurse who threatens to throw her charge to the wolves if the child does not behave. [First half of 1900s]
lion’s share
n. the largest portion. I earn a lot, but the lion’s share goes for taxes.
lion's share
The greatest or best part.