At daggers drawn

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Meaning

In a state of open, bitter hostility or severe mutual distrust. Stronger than disagree. It describes entrenched hostility and usually takes with before the opposing party. Regional use: Chiefly British English, though widely understood.

Origin

The image is of opponents who have drawn their daggers and are poised to fight. The related 'at daggers drawing' is recorded from 1553. Major lexicographical dates for the exact fixed form differ: Merriam-Webster gives a first known use in 1645, while the Historical Thesaurus of English dates it to 1668, the year associated with Roger L'Estrange's translation of Quevedo. Both place the phrase securely in early modern English.

Research Sources

  1. At daggers drawn Merriam-Webster
  2. Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford English Dictionary: sample pages Historical Thesaurus of English, University of Glasgow
  3. At daggers drawn Cambridge University Press & Assessment

Variants

  • Be at daggers drawn
  • With daggers drawn
  • At daggers drawing

Usage Examples

  • The two directors were at daggers drawn over the merger.
  • Former allies are now at daggers drawn on housing policy.
  • By the end of the hearing, counsel and witness were at daggers drawn.

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