lord of the flies
English
Etymology
The English-language translation of the Hebrew word בעל זבוב (ba'al-z'vúv, “fly-lord, Beelzebub”), which in turn is a mistranslation of the name of the Semitic devil Baal-zevuv.
Noun
Usage notes
The phrase can also be used as an adjective to describe a situation where there is no government and crime is common. This usage is a reference to the book Lord of the Flies and is usually capitalized.
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