a warning to stop doing something.

The lawsuit is a shot across the bow to businesses that are competing unfairly.

Etymology: based on the military practice of aiming a shot across the bow (= a small explosion in front of a ship) to force it to stop

• have dead to rights
• have designs on
• have designs on someone
• have designs on something
• have dibs on
• have dibs on something
• have done more something than has had hot dinners
• have done more something than someone has had hot dinners
• have done more than has had hot dinners
• have done more than someone has had hot dinners
• have [done/seen/had etc.] more something than has had hot dinners
• have [done/seen/had etc.] more something than someone has had hot dinners
• have [done/seen/had etc.] more than has had hot dinners
• have [done/seen/had etc.] more than someone has had hot dinners
• have down on like a ton of bricks
• have down on you like a ton of bricks
• have down pat
• have down to a fine art
• have down to a science
• have ducks in a row
• have ear
• have ear to the ground
• have egg on face
• have egg on your face
• have end away