- a small barrel used to hold gunpowder
- informal a potential source or scene of violence, disaster, etc
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
ˈpow•der ˌkeg, n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- a small metal container like a barrel, used for holding gunpowder or blasting powder.
- a situation that could become dangerous:Crime in the cities is a powder keg.
pow′der keg′,
- a small, metal, barrellike container for gunpowder or blasting powder.
- a potentially dangerous situation, esp. one involving violent repercussions.
- 1850–55
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
powder keg n