What Does "Nourish a Viper in One's Bosom" Mean?
"Nourish a viper in one's bosom" is an English idiom. It means "to support or care for someone who turns out to be ungrateful or harmful."Examples in Sentences
Here are three examples of the idiom "nourish a viper in one's bosom" used in a sentence:- He thought he was helping his friend, but he was nourishing a viper in his bosom; his friend betrayed him.
- She provided financial support to her cousin, only to find out that she was nourishing a viper in her bosom; her cousin misused the money.
- The company hired the consultant, not realizing they were nourishing a viper in their bosom; the consultant revealed sensitive information to a competitor.
What Is an Idiom?
An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Nourish a Viper in One's Bosom" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.
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