APAD: beard the lion

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]

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[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."