Definition
to confront a powerful person in their own territory
Examples
1) The protestor bearded the lion by standing in front of the police line and
refusing to move.
2) The new employee bearded the lion by asking her boss for a raise after
only a few months on the job.
Etymology
The phrase is thought to have originated from a Bible story about David, who
killed a lion that had stolen a lamb.
Synonyms
stand up to, take on, square off against
- englishdaily626.com [edited]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[For some reason, I thought beard as a verb should mean to trim facial hair,
something a barber regularly does as part of the job.]
Confronting arbitrary power may seem foolhardy but bearding the lion also sounds
thrilling. Practitioners act as if seized by a sudden urge to jump from high
places, which the French call "l'appel du vide."
