judgment of Solomon

English

Etymology

From a story in the Old Testament, in which King Solomon ruled between two prostitutes, both claiming to be the mother of a baby, by threatening to cut the baby into two. The actual mother begged for her child while the fake one was indifferent towards Solomon's threat.

Noun

judgment of Solomon (plural judgments of Solomon)

1. A judgment in which a stratagem is invoked in order to reveal the true feelings of the opposing parties.

Alternative forms

• judgement of Solomon