Lord of the Flies
Definition
A 1954 novel by William Golding depicting a group of British boys stranded on a deserted island who descend into savagery, symbolizing the inherent evil in human nature.
A biblical reference to Beelzebub, a name for the devil meaning 'lord of the flies' in Hebrew.
(idiomatic) A chaotic situation where civilization breaks down and primal instincts take over, often used to describe disorderly groups or environments.
Examples
Without the boss around, the team meeting turned into Lord of the Flies, complete with flying staplers and territorial coffee mug claims.
My fridge after a week of vacation is pure Lord of the Flies – fuzzy experiments plotting world domination in the back.
The playground at recess became Lord of the Flies when the kickball game escalated into a full-on turf war over the swings.
Family game night devolved into Lord of the Flies faster than you can say 'Monopoly money fight.'