Blood-in-the-water Definition

noun

(idiomatic) In a competitive situation, the exhibition of apparent weakness or vulnerability by one party, especially when this leads to a feeling of vulnerability or greater pressure to perform on the part of the weak party, and/or enhanced expectation of victory by the other(s).

Wiktionary

pronoun

Alternative spelling of Blood in the Water.

Wiktionary

Origin of Blood-in-the-water

Literally, blood in the water; by extension the associated emergence of predators (possible feeding frenzy) observed with its presence.

From Wiktionary