to have it out
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To contest either physically or verbally with another to the utmost of one's
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 “to have it out” mean?
To contest either physically or verbally with another to the utmost of one's
Is “to have it out” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.