tooth and nail
With savage determination
Tooth and nail describes fighting or struggling with maximum ferocity, using every available weapon—as animals use both teeth and claws.
The phrase almost always follows verbs of conflict: They fought tooth and nail for custody, She defended her position tooth and nail.
It suggests desperate, all-out effort rather than measured resistance.
- vigorouslyWith forceful enthusiasm
- all outComplete and unreserved
- attackAggressive act against another
- hammer and tongsWith intense force
- powerfullyWith considerable strength
ferociously · energetically · relentless · down and dirty · forcefully · thoroughly · aggressive · utterly · determination · do or die · claw · hard · survival · go down swinging · tenacious · fang · combative · bare-knuckle
- body idiomsheart of gold, heart of stone, cold heart, warm heart, soft heart
- pairspair, pairs, two, duo, duos
tooth and nailhalf-heartedly
With little genuine effort
halfheartedly · lackadaisically · casually · listlessly · feebly
tooth and nailsurrender
Cease resistance, yield
capitulation · giving up · resignation · acquiescence · submission
tooth and nailindifferently
Without preference or concern
apathetically · nonchalantly · dispassionately · carelessly · unenthusiastically
nail, tooth, nails, nailed, dental, toothbrush, toothache, nailing, toothless