М138
ДАМОКЛОВ МЕЧ висит над кем or над чьей головойПОД ДАМОКЛОВЫМ МЕЧОМ был*, жить, ходить и т. п. all
litNP,
sing only,
usu. subj (1st van)
PrepP,
Invar ,
subj-compl with copula (
subj:
human or
adv (2nd
var. )
fixed WO danger, trouble that is constantly threatening s.o. : sword of Damocles.
From the story of Damocles, courtier of the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius in classical mythology. At a banquet, Dionysius had Damocles seated under a sword suspended by a single hair to show him how precarious power and the ruler's happiness were.