be at daggers drawn

To be prepared to verbally or physically fight another person or group. Primarily heard in UK, Australia. The police have had to intervene because those rival gangs have been at daggers drawn lately. The members of the committee are at daggers drawn because they cannot agree on a course of action. The two recruiters are at daggers drawn because they each think a different candidate is perfect for the job.

be at daggers ˈdrawn (with somebody)

if two people are at daggers drawn, they are very angry with each other: They’ve been at daggers drawn ever since he borrowed her car and smashed it up. OPPOSITE: (as) thick as thieves (with somebody)

If you draw a weapon (= a gun, a dagger, etc.), you take it out in order to attack somebody.