WordNet
n. a problematic situation that will eventually become dangerous if not addressed; "India is a demographic time bomb"; "the refugee camp is a ticking bomb waiting to go off" [syn: time bomb]
Usage examples of "ticking bomb".
She looked toward the front of the compartment, past the ticking bomb.
Iblis held it with nervous caret as if he had been given a ticking bomb.
Iblis held it with nervous care, as if he had been given a ticking bomb.
Since his princess had lost her mind he had all the conversational skill of a ticking bomb.
Thinking they were chasing the sniper, a dozen sec men charged and reached the smooth section of sand almost exactly as the big ticking bomb buried there detonated.
And for introducing us to Dino Zografos of the Special Weapons and Tactics Group, who made the dread of a ticking bomb something real and manageable.
Nancy felt sorry for him, but she couldnt get the ticking bomb out of her mind.
He was a bundle of nerves, a ticking bomb of nitro with a soft fuse surrounded by flammable children's pyjamas waiting to ignite.