double-edged sword

English

A pair of literal double-edged swords.

Etymology

From the notion that if two sides of the same blade are sharp, it cuts both ways. The metaphor may have originated from the Arabic expression سَيْفٌ ذُو حَدَّيْنِ (sayfun ḏū ḥaddayni, “double-edged sword”). In the Bible, the word of God is described as being sharper than a double-edged sword.

The metaphor is first attested to in English in the 15th century. It is not to be confused with a double-ended sword.

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU):

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Noun

double-edged sword (plural double-edged swords)

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see double-edged,‎ sword.
2. (idiomatic) A benefit that is also a liability, or (a benefit) that carries some significant but not-so-obvious cost or risk.

Synonyms

• two-edged sword

Translations

idiomatic

• Arabic: سَيْف ذُو حَدَيْن m (sayf ḏū ḥadayn)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 雙刃劍／双刃剑 (zh) (shuāngrènjiàn), 双刃剑 (zh) (shuāngrènjiàn) (a double-edged sword)

• Czech: dvousečný meč m (a double-edged sword)
• Danish: tveægget sværd n
• Dutch: tweesnijdend zwaard (nl) n
• Finnish: kaksiteräinen miekka
• French: arme à double tranchant (fr) f
• German: zweischneidiges Schwert n
• Greek: δίκοπο μαχαίρι n (díkopo machaíri)
• Hebrew: חֶרֶב פִּיפִיּוֹת (he) f (ẖérev pifiyót)
• Icelandic: tvíeggjað sverð n
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Italian: arma a doppio taglio f
• Japanese: 諸刃の剣 (ja) (もろはのつるぎ, moroha no tsurugi) (a double-edged sword)
• Korean: 양날의 검 (yangnar-ui geom) (a double-edged sword)
• Malay: serampang dua mata
• Persian: شمشیر دو لبه (šamšir-e do labe)
• Polish: miecz obosieczny m
• Portuguese: faca de dois gumes (pt) f (a knife with two edges)
• Romanian: sabie cu două tăișuri f
• Russian: па́лка о двух конца́х (ru) f (pálka o dvux koncáx) (a stick with two ends), обоюдоо́стрый меч m (obojudoóstryj meč) (a double-edged sword)
• Serbo-Croatian: мач са две оштрице m (mátch sa dvé oshtritsé)
• Spanish: arma de doble filo (es) f (a double-edged weapon), arma de dos filos (es) f (a two-edged weapon)
• Swedish: tveeggat svärd n

See also

• Midas
• Trojan horse
• a blessing and a curse
• blurse
• be careful what you wish for