Noun
An underlying threat of disaster beneath the surface of everyday life.
- Examples
-
More examples (2)
Fully two thirds of the earth's surface is covered by water. The other one third is covered by a crack team of investigative reporters led by a crusty old bureau chief. This very fact means that the subject of water is fraught with grave political undertoads.
But the European framework has, as John Irving would say, 'an undertoad'. Kings in Conflict and Ireland's Fate both underscore the painful conclusion that Ireland, her rights and wrongs, was of little or no consequence within what was seen by...
You're like Garp; you always imagine every terrible thing that could possibly happen. You see undertoads everywhere.
More examples (1)
...the wish-delight of pure belief, unseasoned faith in being true, no cynicism to ease the pain, you said that, tapping-in, as it were, and the visible monologue says, go on, and fire the fall, the undertoad reciting the quick shots are your cards and letters imitating scorn or envy or distrust not present, but pure panic culls retreat from your coins today, today the crossing over into birthdays, into the new cycle...
While attempting to plumb the intensity of my feelings about the “deep dark secrets,” known by absolutely everyone, I have been reminded of the “undertoad.”
A mythical monster that lurks underwater to catch unwary swimmers; a personification of an undertow.
- Examples
-
It was that undertoad what took old Bill's boy clean under the water and never brung him back up,” reminisced Will.
More examples (1)
“Baby, watch out for the undertoad.” I just had this vision of this big toad out there waiting to grab me and take me off to Cuba. She kept saying the undertoad was in the water.
Parents would warn the small children to stay out of the water or the "undertoads" might get them.
More examples (1)
He says something about an undertoad and sometimes that happens in Lake Michigan. Giant frogs love the bottom of the lake, Pops has told me, and you have to be very careful.