IdiomAnimals
English
Englisha nest of vipers
Meaning: A group of people who scheme against or betray each other.
Example: “The palace court was a nest of vipers, full of spies and rivals.”
Origin: Vipers are venomous snakes. Similar images, such as "brood of vipers" in the Gospels, have long been used of treacherous people. The first use of the exact phrase has not been traced.
Equivalents in other languages
French: Un panier de crabes Literally: A basket of crabs
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