pandora's box
Plural
Pandora's boxes
1
a Greek mythological artifact that contained all the evils of the world, which were released when Pandora opened the box out of curiosity
Pandora's box is a famous myth from ancient Greek mythology that symbolizes the consequences of curiosity and disobedience. According to the myth, Pandora was the first woman created by the gods and was given a box that she was instructed not to open. However, curiosity overcame her, and when she opened the box, she released all the evils and hardships into the world, such as pain, suffering, and disease. Hope, which was also contained in the box, was later released, providing a sense of comfort to humanity amidst the troubles. The myth of Pandora's box highlights the consequences of curiosity and disobedience, as well as the importance of hope in overcoming adversity.
2
a source of endless complications, problems, or unexpected troubles, often caused by a small or careless action
- By questioning the official story, he accidentally opened a Pandora's box of scandals.
- Changing the law without proper planning could open a Pandora's box of legal issues.
- Once she mentioned the secret, it unleashed a Pandora's box of family drama.
- The experiment seemed simple at first, but it turned into a Pandora's box of new questions.
- He realized too late that tampering with the settings had opened a Pandora's box of technical problems.