Many actions can lead to both good and bad consequences. Not everything is explicit. In this regard, wise ancestors came up with the expression "double-edged sword", the meaning of which will be discussed in more detail in this article. Also here you will find the origin story of this saying.
"Double-edged sword": the meaning of phraseology
In order to give a precise definition of this expression, let's turn to authoritative dictionaries. In the sensible Sergei Ivanovich Ozhegov, the following meaning is given. "Double-edged sword" - "that which can end both well and badly." The author in his dictionary puts the stylistic mark “colloquial.”
In the collection of phraseological units edited by Stepanova M. I., the following definition is given to the expression: "what can entail both favorable and negative consequences, allows a good and bad outcome." The author puts such stylistic notes as "simple, express."
Thus, based on the definitions obtained, we can conclude that the expression we are considering means the possibility of both a negative and a positive outcomein connection with something, some action.
Origin of expression
This idiom is a folk saying. This means that we cannot find the specific author of this expression.
How did such a phraseological unit come about? The preposition "o", which is present in it, was used in the meaning of the preposition "with". That is, we can assume that this expression is equal to the expression "double-edged stick".
This saying did not appear by chance. With the word "stick" formed a lot of phraseological units. After all, what is this object? The stick has, as a rule, two ends similar to each other. They are diametrically opposed. It can get both one end and the other, the opposite. Figuratively, the ancestors meant that you never know what will happen, there are always two options for events: positive and negative.
Also, the etymology of the expression is associated with the fact that when someone was beaten with a stick, the one who was under attack could grab the stick and strike the offender with the other end. It turned out that the result turned out to be exactly the opposite of expectations.
Regardless of etymology, what can end well or badly reveals the meaning. "Double-edged sword" has just such an interpretation.
Use
Where does this expression occur? Everywhere! It belongs to the colloquial style, is an expressive expression. With it, any text can be made more expressive and bright. That is why this phraseological unit is most often found in the media: printedpublications, radio and television. It is placed in the headings and in the text itself. And all because the idea of the possibility of a different outcome capaciously conveys its meaning. "Double-edged sword" is found in journalistic works about politics and other serious areas.
In fiction, there are many examples of the use of this phraseological unit by writers.
Publicists, public figures, and just people who resort to stable phrases in their speech often use this phrase.
In the dialogues of the heroes of various films, you can also hear this expression.
This phraseological unit is often used in publications about lies. After all, a lie can both help someone and open up at the wrong moment, thereby only aggravating the situation.
Conclusion
In this article, we learned that the meaning of "double-edged sword" (phraseologism) has the following. This phraseological unit characterizes the possibility of both a good and a bad outcome. This expression was formed due to the fact that the stick has two ends. Our ancestors turned this simple characteristic into a figurative statement, which is still not outdated. It is still relevant today.
