rear one's head

present singular third person rears one's head · participle present rearing one's head · participle past reared one's head · past reared one's head · alternative rear one's ugly head

1. literallyTo raise one's head.

   Synonyms: raise one's head

2. idiomaticTo appear and cause problems or stress, especially at an inopportune time (said of something or [rare] someone that is undesirable or unwelcome).

   One problem that reared its head in 1983 would prove more difficult to solve, with the heat that summer leading to a number of engine failures.

   2021 October 6, Greg Morse, “A need for speed and the drive for 125”, in RAIL, number 941, page 53

   1 more example

   For large parts of this season City have been far from the level that saw them win the Treble last season, especially defensively. Those issues reared their head again, and will lead to questions about the summer recruitment, with some poor defending for both Newcastle goals.

   2024 January 13, Callum Matthews, “Newcastle United 2-3 Manchester City”, in BBC Sport