spike someone's guns

spike (one's) guns

To ruin one's plans or prevent one's success. The phrase refers to the former military practice of inserting spikes into enemy guns to prevent them from firing. I'm afraid the rain has spiked our guns. We cannot hold the rally as planned.

spike someone's guns

BRITISH

If you spike someone's guns, you do something to prevent someone's plans from succeeding. Parkers spiked their rival's guns by launching their product two months before Jones were able to do so. Note: In the past, when soldiers captured a large enemy gun which they could not move, they hammered a nail or spike into the hole where the gunpowder was put. This meant that the gunpowder could not be lit and so the gun would not work.

spike someone's guns

take steps to thwart someone's intended course of action.

First recorded in English in the late 17th century, the expression referred literally to the practice of hammering a metal spike into a captured enemy cannon so that it could not be fired.

词组	spike someone's guns
释义	spike someone's guns spike (one's) guns To ruin one's plans or prevent one's success. The phrase refers to the former military practice of inserting spikes into enemy guns to prevent them from firing. I'm afraid the rain has spiked our guns. We cannot hold the rally as planned. See also: gun, spike Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. spike someone's guns BRITISH If you spike someone's guns, you do something to prevent someone's plans from succeeding. Parkers spiked their rival's guns by launching their product two months before Jones were able to do so. Note: In the past, when soldiers captured a large enemy gun which they could not move, they hammered a nail or spike into the hole where the gunpowder was put. This meant that the gunpowder could not be lit and so the gun would not work. See also: gun, spike Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. spike someone's guns take steps to thwart someone's intended course of action. First recorded in English in the late 17th century, the expression referred literally to the practice of hammering a metal spike into a captured enemy cannon so that it could not be fired. See also: gun, spike Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary See also: (one's) day in court (from) top to toe (there's) no peace/rest for the wicked be on (one's) pat at doorstep at (one's) doorstep (one's) jig is up at (one's) expense at expense at someone's expense References in periodicals archive When we 'spike someone's guns' we reflect how sailors disabled captured cannons - by hammering a metal spike into the hole through which the charge was ignited. How the sea is in our language as well as our blood; Our recent series on the origins of some of the phrases we hear every day inspired reader PETER DUTTON, who explores the influence of Britain's martime heritage on our language
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