fox in the henhouse
1
8.4
- idiom
- Informal
:
zorro en el gallinero
- The recent scandal revealed a fox in the henhouse among the elected officials, putting everyone at risk.
Examples
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-Looks like we got ourselves a fox in the henhouse.
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He's the fox in the henhouse!
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Like I always say... ...you put a fox in the henhouse, you'll have chicken for dinner every time.
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The manager warned the staff about the fox in the henhouse who could jeopardize their project.
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When hiring leaders, it's essential to avoid selecting a fox in the henhouse who might betray trust.
Synonyms
19
7.4
A person who acts unpredictably and can cause problems
A person who should protect others but may harm them
A person who does not fit in and upsets others
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The literal image of a fox inside a henhouse (a predator among vulnerable animals) directly conveys the idea of a dangerous intruder in a vulnerable setting; combining 'fox' + 'in' + 'henhouse' therefore yields the intended figurative meaning. This animal-predator metaphor is transparent and common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents can readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Fox in the henhouse comes from the image of a wild fox sneaking into a henhouse to attack helpless chickens. So, calling someone a fox in the henhouse means they are 'a danger' placed inside a group or place where others are trusted or weak.