fighting words

1. A statement bound to start a quarrel or fight. It is often expressed as them's fighting words, as in You say your father's smarter than mine? Them's fighting words. The ungrammatical use of them's for “those are” emphasizes the folksy tone of this colloquialism, first recorded in Ring Lardner's Gullible's Travels (1917).

Example Sentences

It argues that there is no precedent for flag-burning “conducted in a manner that is likely to incite imminent lawless action,” and that “fighting words” aren’t “constitutionally protected.”

From Salon

I’ve even added some of Huntr/x’s songs to my resistance playlist titled, “Them’s Fighting Words.”

From Salon

These are fighting words, and we can safely assume that Jackson does not use them lightly.

From Slate

Employers resented Roosevelt’s pro-labor stance, as well as his fighting words attacking “economic royalists.”

From Slate

Rebbe Mastriano stirred up the faithful with fighting words: "When the Israelites came into their promised land, they didn't just march in and take it. God had to move in mighty ways to remove their enemies. Our promised land is Pennsylvania, and we're taking it back."

From Salon