them's fighting words

them's fighting words

cliché What was said warrants a fight or confrontation. "Fighting" is often rendered as "fightin'" for colloquial or ironic effect. A: "Your dad was a sissy!" B: "Them's fightin' words, pal—I'm gonna knock your block off!" But to suggest that our nation should bend to the will of another, well, them's fighting words around these parts.

See also: fight, word

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

Them's fighting words!

Rur. What you just said will lead to a fight. (Said as a threat.) I heard what you said about my brother, and them's fighting words. Put up your dukes. Them's fighting words!

See also: fight

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