take up arms

Idioms and Phrases

Also, take up the cudgels . Become involved in a conflict, either physical or verbal, as in The Kurds took up arms against the Iranians at least two centuries ago , or Some believe it's the vice-president's job to take up the cudgels for the president . The first term originated in the 1400s in the sense of going to war. The variant, alluding to cudgels as weapons, has been used figuratively since the mid-1600s and is probably obsolescent.

Related Words

• defy
• overthrow
• renounce
• resist
• revolt
• secede