in het geweer komen

Dutch

Etymology

Figurative sense for an earlier, now obsolete literal sense “to get under arms”, in which the sense of the word geweer as a verbal noun of the verb (zich) weren (“to defend oneself”) has also become obsolete.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɪn ɦət ɣəˈʋeːr ˌkoːmə(n)/, /ɪn ət xəˈʋeːr ˌkoːmə(n)/

Verb

in het geweer komen

(intransitive) to come into action; to oppose; to protest; to resist [with tegen ‘against’]
De actievoerders kwamen in het geweer tegen het kappen van de bomen.
The activists came into action against the cutting of the trees.

Usage notes

The verb komen imparts an inchoative sense, signaling the transition from inaction to action.

Inflection

Conjugation of in het geweer komen: see komen.