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take up arms
Also, take up the cudgels. Become involved in a conflict, either physical or verbal, as in The Kurds took up arms against the Iranians at least two centuries ago, or Some believe it's the vice-president's job to take up the cudgels for the president. The first term originated in the 1400s in the sense of going to war. The variant, alluding to cudgels as weapons, has been used figuratively since the mid-1600s and is probably obsolescent.
Example Sentences
But in 2021 the group took up arms again, saying the promises made in the deal had been broken.
There’s considerable variety, to be sure, in how quickly and ferociously they take up arms, and whether they are volunteer hoodlums or highly organized military vets.
As he removes his gas mask, Bartek says he thinks most Poles "will take up arms" if attacked, "and be ready to defend the country."
They also believed that it was on the ordinary citizens of America to take up arms against a tyrannical ruling order, no matter what the cost to innocent lives might be.
But many have refused to do so without security guarantees, or authorization for locals to take up arms and defend their communities.
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