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Glite Dictionary
to have a pair

to have a pair

9.9
To be brave enough to do something difficult or risky
  • idiom
  • UK
translation icon : tener agallas
  • We need more politicians like West that actually have a pair.

Examples

  • In a tense meeting, she really demonstrated that she have a pair when she stood up to her boss.

  • I'd love to have a pair.

    Blog text (2)

  • Fiat won't officially pull the wraps off of its all-electric 500e until the Los Angeles Auto Show later this month, but we now have a pair of official images that show the little orange shocker both inside and out.

    Blog text (6)

  • It takes a lot of guts to have a pair and speak your mind during a disagreement.

  • To challenge the status quo, you need to have a pair and not be afraid to voice your opinions.

Synonyms

to grow a pair
vsto have a pair
  • Offensive
8 9.9

To become braver and more confident in difficult situations

is about being bold in confrontational moments rather than a gradual change
to strap on a pair
vsto have a pair
  • Slang
9.9

To be brave enough to do something difficult

is a general state of boldness in challenging confrontations
to take courage in both hands
vsto have a pair
7.9

To make yourself brave enough to do something difficult

is a general boldness, not only a one-time summoned effort

How Brave

to have a pair
  • UK
9.9
to have the nerve
  • Informal
68 6.2

Surface Forms

have a pair infinitive
had a pair past
had a pair past participle
having a pair present participle
has a pair third person singular

Morphology

have + a + pair

The literal combination 'have' + 'a' + 'pair' simply means to possess two of something and gives no direct clue to courage; the idiomatic sense relies on an omitted cultural referent (e.g. 'pair of balls') and a slang metaphor. Because the meaning depends on sociocultural knowledge and ellipsis rather than transparent composition, a B1 learner who knows the words would not reliably infer this sense.

Etymology

Have a pair is an informal phrase that comes from the image of having a pair of testicles, which people used to see as a sign of 'courage'. That's why saying someone has a pair means they are brave or willing to face a challenge.