get one's claws out
English
Pronunciation
Audio (AU) (file)
Verb
get one's claws out
- (of an animal with claws) To prepare to attack or retaliate
- That cat will always get its claws out when it sees a mouse.
- (of a person, idiomatic) To prepare to attack or retaliate
- You'd better watch out: she's got her claws out for you.
Usage notes
When said of a person, the phrase is usually applied to a woman and the attack is typically verbal or indirect, such as a harming someone socially.