Idiom
blood in the water
Meaning
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, or enhanced expectation of victory by the others.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“The team sensed blood in the water when their rivals made a mistake.”
“Other sellers see blood in the water when a shop lowers its prices.”
“When the company announced poor quarterly earnings, competitors saw blood in the water and launched an aggressive marketing campaign.”
“As soon as the manager admitted he was confused by the new software, the ambitious employees sensed blood in the water and tried to take over his project.”
“Once the senator stumbled during the debate, his opponents sensed blood in the water and began to attack his record with renewed intensity.”
Examples
simple
“The team sensed blood in the water when their rivals made a mistake.”
“Other sellers see blood in the water when a shop lowers its prices.”
contextual
“When the company announced poor quarterly earnings, competitors saw blood in the water and launched an aggressive marketing campaign.”
“As soon as the manager admitted he was confused by the new software, the ambitious employees sensed blood in the water and tried to take over his project.”
complex
“Once the senator stumbled during the debate, his opponents sensed blood in the water and began to attack his record with renewed intensity.”
Origin
From the observation of sharks and similar predators, which are drawn to the scent of blood spilled in the water. The presence of blood frequently precipitates a feeding frenzy among such creatures, a biological impulse that provides the basis for the idiom.
Key words
Related idioms
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