go to war

go to war (over someone or something)

To engage in an intense conflict with someone or something for some reason. Despite the connotations of "war," the phrase is often applied to commonplace situations. OK, so your assistant ordered the wrong pens. Do you really want to go to war over it? You stole the captain of the football team's girlfriend, and you're surprised he's ready to go to war?
See also: go, someone, war
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

go to war (over someone or something)

to wage a war over someone or something. (Often an exaggeration.) We aren't going to go to war over this, are we? Do you want to go to war over Sarah? Is she that important to you?
See also: go, war
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • go to war (over someone or something)
  • anoint
  • anoint (someone/oneself) with
  • anoint with
  • kicking and screaming
  • (as) sure as eggs (is eggs)
  • great minds
  • great minds think alike
  • from my cold, dead hands
  • fandom trash
References in periodicals archive
And I believe in congressional authority to go to war. I've argued that on occasion with respect to some things here, but there are occasions which I have supported where a president of the United States has to make a decision immediately and implement that decision, execute on it immediately.
"Why did UK Ministers take the decision to go to war without the backing of the public or the UN?
He said while Britain was reluctant to go to war, preferring quite diplomacy, but America seemed prepared for war.
In the case of Iraq, Congress approved a resolution that essentially authorized the president to make the decision to go to war, thereby shirking its own responsibility under the Constitution.
And so the push to persuade the higher-ups to go to war began.
However, I must confess to being just that as regards his remarks on whether or not we should, if seen as necessary, go to war with Iran.
But he did not go to war "reluctantly." He went to war recklessly.
(play), My8-16 Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1806, Mr27-18 Legacy of Rosa Parks (play), N28-6 Lewis and Clark Reach the Pacific, N14-16 Man of Many Talents (poster), 031 Marian Anderson: A Voice for Freedom, Mr6-18 Mayflower Compact (play), S5-16 Memories of the Dust Bowl, Ap10-12 Miles to Freedom (slavery), D12-14 Muckrakers, F20-10 New Amsterdam: New World Company Town (play), S19-16 The Other Pioneers: African-Americans on the Frontier, Ja23-18 Our Founding Fathers (play), 031-16 Pennies and a Crust of Bread: Child Labor in America (play), F6-18 Should We Go To War? (with map), Ap24-14 What If America Had Lost the Revolution?, 03-16
One day, we're going to have to go to war, I'm afraid, if he continues his policy....
"If we go to war tomorrow, the Raptor will go with us," said Gen.
The decision to go to war was 'a political decision', for which the Government was 'accountable to Parliament - and ultimately the electorate', said the judge.
Bush decided to go to war in three months if sanctions did not work and the Iraqis were still in Kuwait.
And if America can go to war without worrying about voters complaining when GIs come home in body bags, will we go to war less often, or more?
BLUE singer Duncan James's estranged dad is threatening to "go to war" over the star's newborn daughter Tianie.
I believe Mr Blair's half apology has made the situation worse, because while he admits the information he was given about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction was wrong, he still insists it was right to go to war to bring down Saddam, although that was not the reason we went to war.