cut each other's throats

cut each other's throats

Of two or more people or groups, to be engaged in ferocious, pernicious competition with one another. It's a symptom of the society we live in that we're all trained to cut each other's throats just to earn a little bit more money. The majority of the economy is dominated by a few megacorporations, while all the smaller businesses are cutting each other's throats for what little market share is left over. Those two want the promotion so badly that they're willing to cut each other's throats to get it.
See also: cut, each, throat
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • cut one another's throats
  • engaged to (one)
  • in action
  • barbarian cruelty
  • cat-and-mouse game
  • at war
  • boys in the back room
  • while two dogs are fighting for bone, a third one runs away with it
  • side effect
  • bandaid
References in classic literature
Bonacieux, and was, as we have said, close to her, he saw on the ground a fine cambric handkerchief, which he picked up, as was his habit, and at the corner of which he recognized the same cipher he had seen on the handkerchief which had nearly caused him and Aramis to cut each other's throat.
Now left to cut each other's throats for the right to get a game with
Their adventures stem from a mutual truce as these two are rival assassins who want to cut each other's throats but are united for a single goal.
But they can't both win and Mullins isn't going to let them go hammer-and-tongs at each other and cut each other's throats just six weeks before Cheltenham.
They both like to race up with the pace, so I just hope they don't go and cut each other's throats."
Points will be squandered as the promotion hopefuls cut each other's throats, providing opportunities for the Amateurs to make ground, assuming they find the kind of consistency which Busby, right, is demanding.
We have all grown up together so we are not there to cut each other's throats.
And, in the grand scheme of things, the draw did not suit either side - in effect, they cut each other's throats.
"In his last run at Ascot some people have said that he and Gevrey Chambertin might have cut each other's throats a bit up front, but we certainly won't be running him that forcefully at the Festival.
And, in every story of this splendid collection, he illustrates why that show is great, as in this passage that describes the circus roustabouts in the title story: Our roustabouts come from everywhere, and they are cruel to each other, and they defend each other like family, and some nights would cut each other's throats. They know better than any of us that a circus is a heavy thing.
Ruby will ride the race from behind so there's no way they can cut each other's throats.
With their title rivals trying to cut each other's throats, Cowgate took full advantage as they overpowered Heaton Park by six wickets.
"He jumped really well at Wetherby but went off too fast with Grey Abbey and they cut each other's throats.
He jumped on after the ninth and he and the other leaders cut each other's throats," said Mullins.
"But we need to sell pools instead of trying to cut each other's throats."