red flag in front of a bull en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
Etymology
A metaphor for the muleta used by bullfighters.
Meanings
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Synonym of red rag to a bull.
Of course his complicated financial dealings must have been a direct provocation to the IRS, a red flag in front of a bull.
2008, John Calvert, Another Sort of Life:To a committed individualist such as Norton, this was truly a case of “waving a red flag at a bull,” and although there was undeniably a certain amount of overblown and probably mock-offended rhetoric in her response, equally there is no doubt that many of the objections she raised were her sincerely held opinions
2012, Henrik Bogdan, Martin P. Starr, Aleister Crowley and Western Esotericism:That message always acted like a red flag to a bull and they charged in, determined to hog-tie him and put a wedding ring through his nose.
2007, Georgina Gentry, To Love a Texan, page 63:Yes, his mocking stung, but he hadn't cowed her; he'd just waved a red flag in front of a bull.
2012, Kresley Cole, Lothaire: