Idiom: "To Cross Swords (with someone)"

To Cross Swords (With someone), meaning: If you cross swords with someone, you disagree with them and argue with them about something. To fight, either verbally or physically. To have and argument with someone. To disagree, argue or oppose with someone. (Figuratively) To become the adversary of someone. Originally this phrase had the literal sense of "fight a duel". Synonyms/Thesaurus: Fight, Argue, Dispute, Disagree, Spar, Wrangle, be at loggerheads with, come to blows, engage in conflict, have a dispute, bicker, conflicting, a bone of contention, adversarial, aggressor, agitate, agree to differ, arguable, argue the toss, bandy, bandy words, battle, battlefield, to be at odds (with), be on a collision course, contrarina, collision, do battle, dissent, dissenter, discordant, exchange words, expostulate, factious, fall out, feud, gherao, hammer something out, have a bone to pick with someone, incongruent, beg to differ, lock horns, loggerheads, make a case for something, make the fur fly, mano a mano, matter, mike check, non-consensual, pick a fight, piggy in the middle, put/ set the cat among the pigeons, quibble, settle a score, shadowbox(ing), spark, sparks fly, tangle with, that's a matter of opinion, the fat is in the fire, the fur flies, tussle, variance, contestation. Related Words/ Phrases argue verb if people argue, they speak to each other in an angry way because they disagree argue the toss to continue to argue about something that has already been decided and is not important bandy words to argue, especially when this is a waste of time be at each other’s throats if two people are at each other’s throats, they are arguing in an angry way be spoiling for a fight to want a chance to fight or argue with someone bicker verb to argue about things that are not important break ranks if a member of a group breaks ranks, they disagree publicly with the rest of the group cavil verb formal to argue or protest about unimportant details clash verb mainly journalism to argue very angrily with someone cross swords (with someone) to disagree or argue with someone about something dispute verb to argue about something do battle to argue with or fight against a difficult opponent, official system etc drive a hard bargain to argue in a very determined way in order to reach an agreement that benefits you enter the lists to become involved in a competition or argument feud verb to be involved in an angry disagreement that continues for a long time fight verb to disagree or argue about something fight it out if two people fight it out, they fight or argue until something is decided fight like cat and dog to fight or argue often or with a lot of anger go at it/fight tooth and nail to fight or argue with energy and determination go/stand/fight etc toe-to-toe (with someone) to argue or fight with someone in a very determined way haggle verb to argue in order to agree on the price of something haggle verb to argue about the details of something harry verb to continue to argue with someone or ask them for things so that they become tired or annoyed have/exchange words (with someone) to have an argument with someone joust verb to argue or compete lock horns (with) to become involved in something such as a fight or competition with someone make an issue of something to argue about something or treat it as important when it is not, especially when this annoys other people mess with to make someone angry, or to argue with them mix it (up) with someone to argue or fight with someone niggle verb to argue with someone or criticize them about something unimportant pick a fight/quarrel with someone to start a fight or argument with someone quarrel verb to have an argument quibble verb to argue or complain about something that is not important remonstrate verb formal to argue with, complain to, or criticize someone about something row verb if people row, they have a short noisy argument with each other scrap verb informal to have a small fight or argument scratch someone’s eyes out to fight or argue with someone in a very angry and cruel way skirmish verb to be involved in a skirmish slog it out informal to argue or fight about something until someone wins slug it out informal to argue or fight about something until someone wins spar verb mainly journalism to argue sparks fly if sparks fly, people argue in an angry way split hairs to argue or worry about very small details or differences that are not important squabble verb to argue with someone about something that is not important tangle verb informal to fight or to argue with someone tangle with to become involved in a fight or an argument with someone throw down the gauntlet to make it clear that you want to argue or fight with someone about something tussle verb to fight or argue with someone, especially because you are both trying to get something wrangle verb to argue about something for a long time, especially in an angry and unpleasant way

Example sentences She was a prominent member of the council and frequently crossed swords with the local MP. The fiercest of rivals, the last time they crossed swords was during the 1980s.

How Galahad drew out the sword from the floating stone at Camelot. Arthur Rackham, from The romance of King Arthur References 1. https://dictionary.cambridge.org 2. https://www.macmillandictionary.com 3. https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com