wolf guarding the sheep
- idiom
- Offensive
:
poner al zorro a cuidar las gallinas
- With his history of deception, many saw him as a wolf guarding the sheep in the negotiation process.
Examples
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Some critics argue that giving the company unchecked power is like a wolf guarding the sheep.
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As the new compliance officer, she felt like a wolf guarding the sheep in her department, tasked with ensuring rules were followed but known for bending them herself.
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As the new compliance officer, she felt like a wolf guarding the sheep in her department.
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Don't trust him; he's just a wolf guarding the sheep!
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In politics, a wolf guarding the sheep can be dangerous.
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Some critics argue that granting the company such unchecked power is akin to having a wolf guarding the sheep, where oversight is compromised.
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With his history of deception and manipulation, many regarded him as a wolf guarding the sheep during the negotiation, posing as an ally while advancing his own agenda.
Synonyms
7
6.2
A person who seems friendly but is actually dangerous or dishonest
1
8.4
A person who can harm or steal when trusted to look after others
Antonyms
How Trustworthy
129
2.8
- Offensive
- Informal
7
6.2
- Offensive
381
3.9
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase combines the literal meanings of 'wolf' (a predatory figure), 'guard' (to protect/watch), and 'sheep' (vulnerable followers) to create a clear image of someone assigned to protect who is actually a threat or has questionable motives. This compositional predator–prey metaphor is transparent and cross-linguistically familiar, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words can infer the intended meaning.
Etymology
Wolf guarding the sheep comes from the picture of a wolf left to guard sheep, a scene that feels wrong because a wolf is a danger to sheep. So, it means a person who is 'in charge' of protecting others but may actually harm them or have 'bad intentions'.