What does having the tiger by the tail mean?

What does having the tiger by the tail mean?

Something too difficult to manage or cope with, as in You know nothing about the commodities market; you’ll end up catching a tiger by the tail. This colorful metaphor conjures up the image of grabbing a powerful but fierce animal by the tail, only to have it turn on one. [ Second half of 1900s]

What is the meaning of chasing tail?

If you are chasing your tail, you are busy doing a lot of different things but not achieving very much. Examples: I’ve been chasing my tail all day, but I haven’t got anything done!

What is the sentence for tiger by the tail?

have a tiger by the tail Fig. to have become associated with something powerful and potentially dangerous; to have a very difficult problem to solve. You have a tiger by the tail. You bit off more than you could chew. You’ve had a bear by the tail ever since you agreed to finish that big project.

What does ride the tiger mean?

ride a tiger To become or find oneself responsible for something risky, precarious, or unsafe to abandon; to do something that is safer to continue than it is to quit.

Where did the phrase tiger by the tail come from?

The expression have a tiger by the tail is derived from a Chinese proverb: “He who rides a tiger is afraid to dismount.” This aphorism was translated into English in the 1870s.

Why do tigers wag their tails?

Tigers use their tails to communicate with one another. A tiger is relaxed if their tail is loosely hanging. Aggression is displayed by rapidly moving the tail from side to side or by holding it low with occasional intense twitches.

Why is chasing tail inappropriate?

Surveys from owners suggest that tail chasing diminishes quality of life for the dog and usually interferes with the relationship between dog and owner.

What does tail mean in slang?

sexual intercourse
7a : buttocks, butt. b slang, vulgar : sexual intercourse. 8 : retinue. 9 : the back, last, lower, or inferior part of something. 10 : tailing sense 1 —usually used in plural.

Who wrote I’ve got a tiger by the tail?

Buck Owens
Harlan Howard
I’ve Got a Tiger By the Tail/Composers

What does ride the tide mean?

Meaning: If you ride with the tide, you accept the majority decision.

What does Easy tiger mean?

We say “easy tiger” when we want someone to calm down, to not get over-emotional, or not to rush into something.

What does having marbles mean?

Fig. to have all one’s mental faculties; to be mentally sound. (Very often with a negative or said to convey doubt.)

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