blood in the water

English - English

Definition of blood in the water in English English dictionary

A particularly violent water polo match between the USSR and Hungary, played at the 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics contemporaneously with the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Images of a Hungarian player leaving the pool with a bleeding head wound led to exaggerated reports of blood in the water

In a competitive situation, the exhibition of apparent weakness or vulnerability by one party, especially when this leads to a feeling of vulnerability or greater pressure to perform on the part of the weak party, and/or enhanced expectation of victory by the other(s)

Democrats smell blood in the water. Twelve long years sitting on the sidelines. Twelve lean years. Twelve hungry years.

Alternative spelling of Blood in the Water

Hyphenation

blood in the wa·ter

Turkish pronunciation

blʌd în dhi wôtır

Pronunciation

/ˈbləd ən ᴛʜē ˈwôtər/ /ˈblʌd ɪn ðiː ˈwɔːtɜr/

Etymology

() Literally, blood in the water; by extension the associated emergence of predators (and possible feeding frenzy) observed with its presence.