a powder keg

a situation that could suddenly become extremely dangerous

Usage notes: A powder keg was a wooden container for gunpowder (= a substance used for making explosions).

We left just before the revolution, realizing that we were sitting on a powder keg.

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Karla	KAHR-lah (German)	German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Croatian
Jacomina	yah-ko-MEE-nah	Dutch
Talbot	['tɔ:lbət]
Cynwrig	-	Ancient Celtic
Corrin	['kɔ:rin]
Aino	IE-no (Finnish)	Finnish, Finnish Mythology