ENGLISH
REFERENCE

release the kraken

idiom
Meaning

To unleash a greatly destructive force.


Origin

first recorded 20th c.

From the 1981 film Clash of the Titans.

Examples
SIMPLE

If you ignore the warnings, you will release the kraken.

CONTEXTUAL

The manager decided to release the kraken by filing a massive lawsuit against the competing company.

COMPLEX

By ignoring the diplomatic protocols and authorizing the full military strike, the leader effectively released the kraken upon the unsuspecting region.

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