with guns blazing
2
7.2
- idiom
- Informal
:
a lo grande
- Clearly, the Fed's concerns have to be resolved, and while a pause may be on the table, they will certainly come out with guns blazing if the monetary and fiscal stimulus fail to restore order.
- come in with guns blazing
Examples
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Go in there with guns blazing?.
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These serve to advance the false meme that all liberty lovers are terrorists and racists who are plotting to march on Washington with guns blazing.
Blog text (33) -
The team went into the meeting with guns blazing, ready to confront the tough questions.
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When the negotiations broke down, they entered the room with guns blazing, determined to make their demands clear.
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She approached the challenge with guns blazing, showing her enthusiasm and commitment to succeed.
Synonyms
126
4.9
In a forceful way that shows readiness to attack or argue
23
6.7
Very strongly and with a lot of energy
12
5.6
In a very strong and angry way
8
7.4
Acting with strong energy and clear determination to win
8
8.4
Very bold and rude in a way that forces people to notice
4
4.0
In a way that tries to attack or gain advantage over others
2
7.6
In an angry and unfriendly way that shows you want to fight
2
7.5
In a forceful way that shows someone is ready to fight for a cause
In a very brave and aggressive way that shows no fear
In a way that shows you are ready to argue or fight
In a very strong, angry, or violent way
Reacting in a sudden, angry way
Doing something suddenly and forcefully without thinking because you are very eager
Antonyms
How Aggressive
- Informal
2
7.2
49
3.5
92
1.0
2
5.1
70
2.3
372
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The constituent words 'guns' and 'blazing' create a vivid literal image of firearms firing, and the preposition 'with' marks manner, so a learner who knows the parts can often infer a forceful or aggressive manner of action. However, the expression is metaphorical and idiomatic in use (it extends the literal image to mean determined/forceful behavior), so the precise figurative nuance and range of uses are not fully predictable without exposure.
Etymology
With guns blazing may come from the image of soldiers or cowboys rushing into a fight with their guns blazing, meaning the weapons are firing loudly. That's why the phrase now means doing something 'very aggressive' or 'full of energy' to get a result.