a shot across the bow
Meaning: A warning of more serious action to come.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “The union's one-day strike was a shot across the bow.”
Category: Daily Life
Origin: Naval practice: firing a shot across the front (bow) of a ship, deliberately missing, ordered it to stop. The figurative sense is from the 20th century.
Equivalents in other languages
- French: Un coup de semonce — literally: A warning shot
More idioms — Daily Life
- a witch hunt — A campaign to find and punish people, driven by fear or suspicion rather than evidence.
- let's hit the road — Let's leave; let's get going.
- without fanfare — Quietly, without any publicity.
- a Herculean task — An extremely difficult job requiring huge effort.
- on the sidelines — Not taking an active part; left out.
- at full tilt — At full speed or with full force.
More English idioms
- at a snail's pace — Very slowly.
- no picnic — Not easy or pleasant.
- the lean years — A period of hardship and scarcity.
- worship the golden calf — To value money and wealth above everything.
- a poisoned chalice — Something that seems attractive but brings trouble to whoever accepts it.
- at the top of one's lungs — As loudly as possible.