Pronounced: SWASH-buhkl, verb
Notes: You probably know (or can guess) the meaning; however, the background is interesting
Yesterday’s phrase
The phrase dragon’s teeth means
- seeds of strife
- wedge-shaped concrete antitank barriers laid in multiple rows
First usage
Our phrase came into English in the late 1600s
Background / Comments
Our phrase comes from the legend of Cadmus, who supposedly invented the alphabet and founded Thebes. Per the legend, Cadmus killed a dragon and planted its teeth in the ground. Each tooth grew into a fierce armed man, and they fought one another until only five were left. These five founded the noble families of Thebes and helped to build its citadel.
Richard's Vocabulary Word-of-the-Day 