IdiomAnimals
English
Englisha Trojan horse
Meaning: Something that seems harmless but hides a threat inside.
Example: “The free app was a Trojan horse that harvested users' contacts.”
Origin: In Greek legend, told in Virgil's Aeneid and in the Odyssey, the Greeks left a giant wooden horse outside Troy with soldiers hidden inside; the Trojans took it in, and the city fell. The term was later borrowed for disguised computer malware.
Equivalents in other languages
Vietnamese: Cõng rắn cắn gà nhà Literally: To carry a snake home to bite your own chickens
French: Un cheval de Troie Literally: A Trojan horse
More English idioms
- drain the cup to the dregs To endure a hardship or humiliation to the very end.
- the icing on the cake An extra good thing added to something already good.
- only have eyes for To be interested in or attracted to one person only.
- lose sleep over To worry a lot about something.
- like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic Doing something pointless while a disaster happens.
- shoot oneself in the foot To damage one's own interests through a foolish action.
Explore another collection: Compliments & Insults
Compliments and insults from around the world, from the sweet to the savage.
- Quel râleur / quelle râleuse You never stop moaning — everything is a complaint, nothing is ever good enough.
- Peau de vache A mean, difficult, and unpleasant person — tough and unyielding like tanned hide.
- Eres un aguafiestas You're a killjoy — you pour cold water on everyone's fun the moment you arrive.
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