the knives are out

English

Phrase

the knives are out

1. (informal, chiefly UK) People are angry.

Usage notes

Often used with for: the knives are out for someone, i.e. people are angry at someone.

See also

• the gloves are off
• at daggers drawn

Further reading

• “the knives are out”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present.
• “the knives are out” (US) / “the knives are out” (UK) in Macmillan English Dictionary.
• “the knives are out”, in Collins English Dictionary.
• “the knives are out for somebody” in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman.
• “the knives are out”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.