friend or foe
Sentry's urgent question
Friend or foe is a challenge demanding someone identify themselves as ally or enemy.
The phrase appears in military contexts where sentries must distinguish their own forces from hostiles: The guard called out "friend or foe?" into the darkness.
More broadly, it questions whether someone's intentions are helpful or harmful: With him, you never know—friend or foe?
- allySupportive partner
- trusted allyReliable supportive companion
- enemyHostile opposing party
- sworn enemyVowed lifelong adversary
- companionOne who keeps company
rival · trust · betrayal · wolf in sheep's clothing · stab in the back · loyalty · treachery · comrade · blood brother · adversary · bond · suspicion · familiar · brotherhood · hostility · warmth · cold · handshake
- Either/Oryes or no, true or false, on or off, in or out, up or down
- false dilemmasfalse dilemma, false dichotomy, false choice, all or nothing, black-and-white thinking
friend or foewelcome
Hospitable greeting offered
greetings · hello · come in · well met · make yourself at home
friend or foeit's complicated
Defies easy explanation
frenemy · acquaintance · stranger · neutral party · shades of gray
friend, friends, friendly, friendliness, unfriendly, friendship, friendless, befriend, befriended