Meaning
Something that has both positive and negative consequences.
Primary Function
Balanced risk description.
Communicative Purpose
To highlight pros and cons.
Pattern
a double-edged sword
Core Structure
a double-edged sword
Função primária
Balanced risk description.
Propósito comunicativo
To highlight pros and cons.
Situações de gatilho
Technology discussions, policy decisions, offers.
Contextos
Business analysis, debates.
Padrão
a double-edged sword
Estrutura central
a double-edged sword
Slots de substituição
none
Colocados típicos
- can be
- is
- proves
Substituições comuns
- a mixed blessing
Erros comuns
a two-edged sword
Similar / contraste
cuts both ways
Interferências
Not a weapon.
Família do chunk
- Ambivalence idioms
Nuance
Cautiously analytical.
Efeito pragmático
Encourages weighing up options.
Dica de memória
Sword that cuts both ways.
Nota
This idiom emphasizes the dual nature of a situation, often used in strategic discussions to acknowledge both benefits and drawbacks.
Upgrade path
presents concomitant advantages and disadvantages (formal)
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