See Also: pandora(medicine)
Pandora's box(dictionary)
pandora(dictionary)
Pandora(encyclopedia)
Pandora's box(dictionary)
Pandora's pneumonitis(medicine)
Pandora Financiera, SICAV, S.A.(finance)

Pandora's box (iou)



Pandora's box noun phr. M16.
[from Greek Pandora, lit. 'all-gifted', name in Greek mythol. of the first mortal woman, on whom, when made by Hephaestus, all the gods and goddesses bestowed gifts, formed as PAN- + doron gift.]
In Greek mythology, the gift of Zeus to Pandora, a box enclosing all human ills, which flew out when the box was foolishly opened (or in a later version, containing all the blessings of the gods, which with the exception of hope escaped and were lost when the box was opened); gen. a thing which once activated will give rise to many unmanageable problems.
Times They would open a Pandora's box of complaints if they decided to have an inquiry.