Danger - Conflict & War

Explore English idioms regarding conflict and war with examples like "armed to the teeth" and "red zone".

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to [hit] the dirt [phrase]

to suddenly fall on the ground, often as a way of avoiding danger

Ex: The car suddenly swerved into their lane , and they had to hit the dirt to avoid a collision .

red zone [noun]

an area that is dangerous or not allowed for people to use for a particular purpose

armed to the teeth [phrase]

equipped with several weapons

Ex: The security team was armed to the teeth to protect the VIP during the high-risk event .

to [bust] a cap [phrase]

to shoot bullets from a gun

Ex: Last year , the gang members busted a cap to assert their dominance in the neighborhood .

eat (hot|my|) lead [sentence]

said to an enemy before shooting them dead with a gun

Ex:

sitting duck [noun]

someone or something that lacks enough defense or protection and is easy to be targeted

Ex: During the storm , the small fishing boat became a sitting duck , unable to navigate the rough waters .

on the offensive [phrase]

in the position or state of readiness for answering any attack or criticism

Ex: The air force was on the offensive , conducting a series of bombing runs to disrupt the enemy 's supply lines .

late unpleasantness [noun]

used for referring to a recent war or conflict

Ex: The local museum has an exhibit dedicated to the artifacts and memorabilia from the late unpleasantness .

to [put] {sb} to the sword [phrase]

to use a sword in order to murder or execute someone

Ex:

to [die] with {one's} boots on [phrase]

to die while actively engaged in one's work, often in a heroic or dedicated manner

Ex: The dedicated detective solved crimes until his very last day on the force , fulfilling his desire to die with his boots on .

to [blow] {one's} brains out [phrase]

to shoot someone in their head and kill them

Ex:

to [let] loose {sth} [phrase]

to discharge a large number of bullets or explosives

Ex: As night fell , the archers let loose a volley of arrows into the darkness , hoping to hit their unseen foes .

to [stand] at bay [phrase]

to fight one's enemies or attackers that pursue one

Ex:

to [duke] it out [phrase]

to engage in a physical fight, typically using one's fists

Ex: The bar brawl escalated quickly as patrons began to duke it out over a disagreement .