Fig.: to put someone in a very difficult situation and "sacrifice" them for one's own benefit or survival

Be careful, these are dangerous people who, for their own interest, will feed you to the lions

Stai attento, questa è gente pericolosa che, per il proprio interesse, è pronta a darti in pasto ai leoni

In the face of the scandal, the administration chose to feed to the lions anyone that could be somehow involved

Per cercare di gestire lo scandalo, l'amministrazione ha scelto di dare in pasto ai leoni chiunque potesse, in qualche modo, essere coinvolto

In ancient Rome, a form of death penalty was the Damnatio ad bestias (condemnation to beasts), where the condemned person would be killed by wild animals, usually big cats, in front of a large public