powder keg

See also: powderkeg

English

Alternative forms

powderkeg

Pronunciation

Audio (AU) (file)

Noun

powder keg (plural powder kegs)

A barrel containing gunpowder.
(figuratively) An explosive or otherwise volatile situation.
powder keg of Europe (term describing the unstable state of the Balkans before World War I)

Synonyms

(figurative): tinderbox

Translations

barrel of gun powder

Basque: bolborategi
Chinese:
Mandarin: 火藥桶／火药桶 (zh) (huǒyàotǒng)
Danish: krudttønde c, tønde krudt c
Finnish: ruutitynnyri
French: poudrière (fr) f
German: Pulverfass (de) n
Hungarian: puskaporos hordó (hu)
Icelandic: púðurtunna f
Italian: polveriera (it) f
Polish: beczka prochu f
Portuguese: barril de pólvora
Russian: порохова́я бо́чка (ru) f (poroxovája bóčka)
Spanish: polvorín m
Swedish: kruttunna c
Ukrainian: бочка для пороху f (bočka dlja poroxu)

volatile situation

Chinese:
Mandarin: 火藥桶／火药桶 (zh) (huǒyàotǒng)
Danish: krudttønde c
Finnish: ruutitynnyri
French: poudrière (fr) f
German: Pulverfass (de) n
Icelandic: púðurtunna f
Italian: polveriera (it) f
Polish: beczka prochu f
Russian: порохова́я бо́чка (ru) f (poroxovája bóčka)
Spanish: polvorín
Swedish: krutdurk (sv) c
Ukrainian: порохова́ бо́чка f (poroxová bóčka)

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