be put to the sword

be put to the sword

To be slain or executed, especially in or as a consequence of war. Scores of villagers were put to the sword by the merciless invaders, and those who survived were left with a ravaged, empty township.
See also: put, sword
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

put to the sword

To kill; slay.
See also: put, sword
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • put to the sword
  • put (someone) to the sword
  • put someone to the sword
  • he who lives by the sword dies by the sword
  • he who lives by the sword, dies by the sword
  • competition
  • cutthroat
  • cutthroat competition
  • a cat may look at a king
  • a cat can look at a king
References in periodicals archive
Or that it would be joined by militant Islamist groups, a move once considered unthinkable, since the Left had always regarded Islam as a relic of feudalism and Islamists regard leftists as atheist enemies who should be put to the sword.
Strange bedfellows
"The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise the garrison are to be put to the sword if the fort is taken," Travis wrote.
Remembering the Alamo: vastly outnumbered and with no hope of relief, the Alamo's defenders courageously gave their lives and bought precious time for Texans to rally resistance. (History--Struggle for Freedom)