open Pandora's box
To perform an action that causes problems to appear which did not exist beforehand, or were not known about prior.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Asking about his past really opened Pandora's box.”
“By questioning the company's accounting methods, the auditor accidentally opened Pandora's box and uncovered years of hidden debt.”
“The government's decision to release the classified documents opened Pandora's box, triggering a series of political scandals that the administration could no longer contain.”
- 01
box clever
To act wisely.
- 02
box oneself into a corner
To create a predicament or problem for oneself; to do something that leaves one with no good alternatives or solutions.
- 03
box seat
A favorable vantage point.
- 04
box someone's ears
To slap someone on the side of the head, usually as an informal punishment.
- 05
box the compass
To make a complete reversal in stance or opinion.
- 06
come from a Cracker Jack box
To obtain or retrieve something that is useless, cheap or fake.
- 07
get one's shine box
Used as an insult.
- 08
idiot box
Television.
Last updated August 10, 2026