warpath
warpath Lexical Profile
warpath Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A hostile, angry, or confrontational course of action or mood, used especially in the phrase 'on the warpath'.
"The supervisor was on the warpath after discovering that the quarterly reports had been submitted late."
North American Historically, a route taken by a party of Native Americans going on a hostile expedition, or the expedition itself.
"Historical accounts describe how the scouts monitored the valley to see if rival bands had taken to the warpath."
Word Nuance & Usage
In modern usage, 'warpath' is almost exclusively encountered in the informal idiom 'on the warpath,' meaning angry and ready for a confrontation.
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in American English in the late 18th century as a compound of 'war' and 'path,' originally referring to the trail taken by Native American war parties.