# at daggers drawn

> English word · Prep_phrase · IPA /æt ˌdæɡəz ˈdɹɔːn/

## Definitions
1. In a state of open hostility.

## Etymology
Probably a reference to people preparing to fight by drawing their daggers from their sheaths. Compare French à couteaux tirés (literally “at daggers drawn”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/at-daggers-drawn