take up arms
take up arms (against someone or something)
To prepare for or engage in a physical conflict (by arming oneself) against someone or something. People from across the country are taking up arms against the dictatorship. I'm a peaceful person, but if war comes upon us, I will not hesitate to take up arms.
See also: arm, someone, take, up
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
take up arms (against someone or something)
to prepare to fight against someone or something. Everyone in the town took up arms against the enemy. They were all so angry that the leader convinced them to take up arms.
See also: arm, take, up
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
take up arms
Also, take up the cudgels. Become involved in a conflict, either physical or verbal, as in The Kurds took up arms against the Iranians at least two centuries ago, or Some believe it's the vice-president's job to take up the cudgels for the president. The first term originated in the 1400s in the sense of going to war. The variant, alluding to cudgels as weapons, has been used figuratively since the mid-1600s and is probably obsolescent.
See also: arm, take, up
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
- get up against
- get up against (someone or something)
- clash
- clash against
- clash against (someone or something)
- against
- against (someone or something)
- graze against
- graze against (someone or something)
- fortify (someone or something) against (something) with (something)