cut one another's throats

cut one another'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 one another'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 one another's throats for what little market share is left over. Those two want the promotion so badly that they're willing to cut one another's throats to get it.
See also: cut, one, throat
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • cut each other'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
  • band-aid
References in classic literature
"Now," quoth Little John, "it doth seem to me that instead of striving to cut one another's throats, it were better for us to be boon companions.
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
Drawn in lane three, with Merritt in four and James in five, if the two favourites cut one another's throats, Gonzales looks the man who could take advantage down the home straight.
Gonzales could surprise favourites down straight
His account of French Revolutionary violence reminds me of John Adams's comment: "Helvetius preached to the French nation liberty, till they made them the most mechanical slaves; equality till they destroyed equity; humanity till they became weasels, and African panthers; and fraternity till they cut one another's throats like Roman gladiators." Winik's America has no less political skulduggery, but considerably less blood and butchery.
Political history for a political nation