drop the gloves
Hockey brawl begins
Drop the gloves is to start fighting, from the hockey tradition where players remove their gloves before throwing punches.
The phrase extends to any situation where someone abandons civility and engages in open conflict: After months of polite disagreement, the two senators finally dropped the gloves.
- hockey fightOn-ice brawl between players
- brawlDisorderly group fight
- fightPhysical or verbal conflict
- throw handsEngage in physical combat
- disputeVerbal clash over differences
throw down the gauntlet · bare knuckle · ice hockey · confrontation · enforcer · tough guy · penalty box · major penalty · sin bin · power play · rivalry · bad blood · quarrel · combativeness · goon · retaliation · no holds barred · toe-to-toe
drop the glovesback down
Withdraw from a stance
walk away · turn the other cheek · run away · flee · retreat
drop the gloveskeep the peace
Prevent discord or conflict
stay cool · hold back · keep your cool · bite your tongue · de-escalate
drop, drops, dropped, dropping, dropper, droplet, glove, gloves, gloved