fire in anger

English

Verb

fire in anger

  1. (military, idiomatic) To fire a weapon with the intent of causing damage or harm to an opponent (as opposed to a warning shot or a practice shot).
    The Napier of Magdala Battery never fired a shot in anger: it never engaged in combat.

Usage notes

  • Despite the use of the word anger, the phrase is not intended to describe the emotional state of the firer.

References

  • Wicaksono, Rachel (accessed 6 August 2010), “Fire in anger”, in Ask About English‎, BBC World Service

Anagrams

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