🗓️ Idiom: Lock Horns (v)
💬 Meaning
- To get into a serious argument or conflict with someone.
- To strongly oppose another person’s ideas or decisions.
🧠 Example Sentences
- The HR manager and the team leader often lock horns over how to handle employee complaints.
- Two department heads locked horns during the meeting about who should manage the new project.
- The company has locked horns with a supplier over repeated delivery mistakes.
🏛️ Origin
The idiom comes from the way animals such as bulls or deer fight by pushing their horns together. This physical clash became a saying for people who argue fiercely or refuse to back down in a disagreement.
📝 Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blank:
Our customer service team often ________ with the IT department about response times.
Answer
locks horns
2. Choose the correct answer:
To “lock horns” with someone means to:
a) Work quietly with them
b) Avoid any discussion
c) Enter a strong disagreement
Answer
c) Enter a strong disagreement
3. Change the sentence using “lock horns”:
“The directors disagreed strongly during the budget review.”
Answer
The directors locked horns during the budget review.
ℹ️ Other Useful Pages
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👉 Conflict and Conflict Resolution Idioms
👉 Business English Idioms List
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