cross swords

English

WOTD – 8 April 2012

Pronunciation

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Verb

cross swords (third-person singular simple present crosses swords, present participle crossing swords, simple past and past participle crossed swords)

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see cross,‎ sword., to place or hold two swords so they cross each other.
2. To fight with someone; to duel.
3. (idiomatic) To quarrel or argue with someone; to have a dispute with someone.
4. (idiomatic, vulgar) For males, to urinate simultaneously such that the streams intersect.

Synonyms

• (to have a dispute with someone): lock horns

Translations

used other than as an idiom

• Estonian: mõõku ristama
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Finnish: ristiä miekat

to fight with someone — see duel

idiomatic: to have a dispute with someone

• Finnish: mennä sukset ristiin jonkun kanssa
• French: croiser le fer (fr)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• German: die Klingen kreuzen

idiomatic, vulgar: to urinate such that the streams intersect

• Finnish: kusta ristiin
• Icelandic: pissa í kross
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Swedish: kissa i kors