sword

[sawrd, sohrd] /sɔrd, soʊrd/
noun
1.
a weapon having various forms but consisting typically of a long, straight or slightly curved blade, sharp-edged on one or both sides, with one end pointed and the other fixed in a hilt or handle.
2.
this weapon as the symbol of military power, punitive justice, authority, etc.:
The pen is mightier than the sword.
3.
a cause of death or destruction.
4.
war, combat, slaughter, or violence, especially military force or aggression:
to perish by the sword.
5.
(initial capital letter) Military. the code name for one of the five D-Day invasion beaches on France's Normandy coast, assaulted by British forces.
Idioms
6.
at swords' points, mutually antagonistic or hostile; opposed:
Father and son are constantly at swords' point.
7.
cross swords,
  1. to engage in combat; fight.
  2. to disagree violently; argue:
    The board members crossed swords in the selection of a president.
8.
put to the sword, to slay; execute:
The entire population of the town was put to the sword.
Origin
before 900; Middle English; Old English sweord; cognate with Dutch zwaard, German Schwert, Old Norse sverth
Related forms
swordless, adjective
swordlike, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for cross swords

sword

/sɔːd/
noun
1.
a thrusting, striking, or cutting weapon with a long blade having one or two cutting edges, a hilt, and usually a crosspiece or guard
2.
such a weapon worn on ceremonial occasions as a symbol of authority
3.
something resembling a sword, such as the snout of a swordfish
4.
cross swords, to argue or fight
5.
the sword
  1. violence or power, esp military power
  2. death; destruction: to put to the sword
Derived Forms
swordless, adjective
swordlike, adjective
Word Origin
Old English sweord; related to Old Saxon swerd, Old Norse sverth, Old High German swert
Word Origin and History for cross swords

sword

n.

Old English sweord, from Proto-Germanic *swerdan (cf. Old Saxon, Old Frisian swerd, Old Norse sverð, Swedish svärd, Middle Dutch swaert, Dutch zwaard, Old High German swert, German Schwert), related to Old High German sweran "to hurt," from *swertha-, literally "the cutting weapon," from PIE root *swer- (3) "to cut, pierce." Contrast with plowshare is from the Old Testament (e.g. Isaiah ii:4, Micah iv:3). Phrase put (originally do) to the sword "kill, slaughter" is recorded from mid-14c.

cross swords in the Bible

of the Hebrew was pointed, sometimes two-edged, was worn in a sheath, and suspended from the girdle (Ex. 32:27; 1 Sam. 31:4; 1 Chr. 21:27; Ps. 149:6: Prov. 5:4; Ezek. 16:40; 21:3-5). It is a symbol of divine chastisement (Deut. 32:25; Ps. 7:12; 78:62), and of a slanderous tongue (Ps. 57:4; 64:3; Prov. 12:18). The word of God is likened also to a sword (Heb. 4:12; Eph. 6:17; Rev. 1:16). Gideon's watchword was, "The sword of the Lord" (Judg. 7:20).

Idioms and Phrases with cross swords

cross swords

Fight, either verbally or physically. For example, At every policy meeting the two vice-presidents crossed swords . This phrase alludes to the ancient form of combat using swords. Also see at sword's point

sword

In addition to the idiom beginning with
sword
also see: