take the gloves off

take the gloves off

To begin to be more tenacious, aggressive, or ruthless in the way one interacts with someone else, especially in a dispute, competition, negotiation, etc. Likened to removing boxing gloves, which cushion the blows. It's time for the prosecution to take the gloves off and introduce their key witness. You can tell that she's taken the gloves off now—just look at the ferocity and focus in her eyes.

See also: glove, off, take

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

take one's gloves off

Fig. to stop being calm or civil and show an intention of winning a dispute by any means. (As if boxers were to remove their gloves in order to inflict more damage. See also The gloves are off.) Both of them took their gloves off and really began arguing.

See also: glove, off, take

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.