on the war-path
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Looking for one's adver- sary with every intention of catching him; thoroughly roused or incensed.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “on the war-path” mean?
Looking for one's adver- sary with every intention of catching him; thoroughly roused or incensed.
Is “on the war-path” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.