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loose cannon

   Also found in: Idioms, Wikipedia 0.03 sec.
loose cannon
n. Slang
One that is uncontrolled and therefore poses danger: "[His] bloopers in the White House seem to make him . . . a political loose cannon" Tom Morgenthau.

[From the threat posed by loose cannon rolling about a warship under sail.]

loose cannon
Noun
a person or thing, with the potential to cause considerable damage, that appears to be out of control
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.loose cannon - a person who is expected to perform a particular task but who is out of control and dangerous
individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul - a human being; "there was too much for one person to do"

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With a loose cannon at the helm in North Korea, further "provocative" actions seem likely.
Were I to write that book today I would call it The Biggest Loose Cannon in America and leave off the question mark.
Democratic National Committee chair Howard Dean was himself considered a loose cannon who some say was pushed aside for the safer, more predictable John Kerry during the 2004 presidential election.
 
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