to battling a hydra
- idiom
- Literature
:
luchar contra una hidra
- Dealing with the unexpected costs was like battling a hydra—every solution created more issues.
Examples
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She described parenting three toddlers as battling a hydra, with new challenges popping up every day.
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For entrepreneurs, starting a business often means battling a hydra of regulations and market changes.
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She is battling a hydra with her workload this week.
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Are you battling a hydra in your project too?
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Dealing with unexpected costs felt like battling a hydra—every solution created new problems.
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For many entrepreneurs, launching a startup often means battling a hydra of challenges and tough decisions.
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She found that handling her busy schedule was like battling a hydra, with new tasks emerging at every turn.
Synonyms
121
3.9
To struggle with a difficult problem or decision
Antonyms
How Complex
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase uses a clear metaphor: 'battle' (to fight) combined with 'hydra' (a many‑headed monster whose heads regrow) yields the idea of fighting a problem that creates new problems. However, understanding the specific sense depends on knowledge of the mythological image and a figurative mapping, so it is not fully compositional for learners without that background.
Etymology
The phrase battling a hydra comes from an old tale about the hydra, a many-headed monster. In the story, when people cut off one head, two would grow back, so fighting it only made more trouble. That's why the phrase means 'facing a problem where each fix creates more problems'.