nourish a viper in one's bosom: meaning & examples

Meanings:

• 1.

  Generalliteraryformalarchaic
  • To nurture or foster someone who will ultimately cause harm or betray the benefactor.
  • To support or protect a dangerous or treacherous person or thing that is likely to turn against one.

  Examples

  Beta

  • By giving him a loan despite his past behavior, she was nourishing a viper in her bosom.

    Al prestarle dinero a pesar de su comportamiento pasado, ella estaba alimentando una víbora en su seno.

  • I warned them that nurturing such a dishonest employee was like nourishing a viper in one’s bosom.

    Les advertí que criar a un empleado tan deshonesto era como alimentar una víbora en el seno.

  • He didn’t realize he was nourishing a viper in his bosom when he trusted his deceitful partner.

    No se dio cuenta de que estaba alimentando una víbora en su seno al confiar en su socio engañoso.