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tongs

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go at it hammer and tongs

To do something or perform some task with tremendous fervor, determination, energy, or forcefulness. An allusion to the force with which a blacksmith strikes metal using his or her hammer and tongs. What started as a minor disagreement has escalated into a heated argument, and the two have been going at it hammer and tongs ever since. I need to go at this paper hammer and tongs if I want to keep my A in the class.

See also: and, hammer, tongs

be at it hammer and tongs

To do something or perform some task with tremendous fervor, determination, energy, or forcefulness. An allusion to the force with which a blacksmith strikes metal using his or her hammer and tongs. What started as a minor disagreement has escalated into a heated argument, and the two have been at it hammer and tongs ever since.

See also: and, hammer, tongs

fight someone or something hammer and tongs

 and fight someone or something tooth and nail; go at it hammer and tongs; go at it tooth and nail

Fig. to fight against someone or something energetically and with great determination. They fought against the robber tooth and nail. The dogs were fighting each other hammer and tongs.

See also: and, fight, hammer, tongs

be/go at it hammer and tongs

  (informal)

to do something, especially to argue, with a lot of energy or violence You should have heard last night's argument - they were at it hammer and tongs till four o'clock this morning.

See also: and, hammer, tongs

hammer and tongs

Forcefully, with great vigor. For example, She went at the weeds hammer and tongs, determined to clean out the long neglected flowerbed . Often put as go at it hammer and tongs, this phrase alludes to the blacksmith's tools. [c. 1700]

See also: and, hammer, tongs