break a lance

English

Etymology

After the knightly practice of jousting.

Verb

break a lance (third-person singular simple present breaks a lance, present participle breaking a lance, simple past broke a lance, past participle broken a lance)

1. (intransitive) to take a stand, to contend [+ for (to the benefit of)] [+ in favour of (to the benefit of)] [+ against (in opposition to)] [+ with (in opposition to)]
   • 2003, Paul and the Corinthians: Studies on a Community in Conflict : Essays in Honour of Margaret Thrall, E. J. Brill, →ISBN, page 303:

     But over the difficult and important passage 2 Cor 12:1 10 she breaks a lance with me, and a response here may be a testimony to the seriousness with which I treat her comments.

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see break,‎ a,‎ lance.

Translations

to take a stand

• Dutch: een lans breken
• Finnish: ottaa kantaa (fi), taittaa peistä
• French: rompre une lance (fr)
• Polish: walczyć (pl) impf