loose cannon
19
7.4
- noun
- /luːs ˈkænən/
- Informal
:
bomba de relojería
- After his unpredictable behavior upset several team members, everyone agreed that he was a loose cannon in the office.
- a loose cannon
- a dangerous loose cannon
- a guy who is a loose cannon
This man is a loose cannon behind a driver's seat.
- This man is a loose cannon behind a driver's seat.
- I highly doubt it, but maybe people remember Kevin McCarthy wasn't a loose cannon.
- And any teacher will tell you if one of those children does not nap during that period of time, they are the loose cannon.
- He's probably still the toughest dude I've ever seen and and you know, he's just too loose cannon.
Examples
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He's a loose cannon with a short fuse, willing to scrap with anyone or anything.
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Fine pilot, but a bit of a loose cannon.
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But you know, he was a loose cannon.
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Yeah, yeah, he can be a loose cannon.
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This guy's a loose cannon.
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I think this loose cannon needs to be locked down... before innocent people start getting hurt.
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There is a loose cannon out there and I want him dealt with immediately.
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We have too much time and too many people invested to have a loose cannon walking around.
Fiction book (2002) -
You know, I've been considered a loose cannon for a long because I say what I think.
-
But let's face it, Ryan McKnight is a loose cannon.
Fiction book (2001)
Synonyms
51
6.2
A person who acts in a wild or reckless way
A person who often does things that surprise other people
A person who often causes trouble and drama for others
Antonyms
How Unpredictable
Surface Forms
Morphology
loose + cannon
The phrase maps metaphorically from a literal 'cannon' (a dangerous, potentially damaging object) that is 'loose' (unrestrained), so a learner who knows both words can plausibly infer a person who is uncontrolled and may cause damage. However, the idiomatic nuance (unpredictability and potential collateral harm without intent) is metaphorical rather than strictly compositional, so the exact sense may not be fully predictable without prior exposure.
Etymology
The phrase loose cannon comes from a clear image on old ships: a heavy cannon that came loose in a storm would roll across the deck and smash into things. That's why the phrase now means 'a person who is unpredictable and may cause trouble'.