ˈwar-path
a. Among North American Indians: The path or route taken by a warlike expedition. to be or go on the war-path: to go to war, seek the foe, be out for scalps.
| 1775 Adair Hist. Amer. Indians 396, I often have rode that war path alone. 1841 J. F. Cooper Deerslayer xv, The great Serpent of the Mohicans must be worthy to go on the warpath with Hawkeye. Ibid. xvii, She sees he is lame, and a poor hunter, and he has never been on a warpath. 1859 Marcy Prairie Trav. vi. 185 Their war-path has reached the shores of the Pacific. 1876 Bancroft Hist. U.S. IV. xv. 422 With chosen companions, he went out upon the war-path, and added scalp to scalp. |
b. transf. and fig.
| 1880 ‘Mark Twain’ Tramp Abr. xxxii. 345 She was on the war path all the evening. 1888 Pall Mall Gaz. 10 Aug. 8/2 The Omagh Controversy. Mr. William O'Brien on the War Path. 1891 Mrs. J. H. Riddell Mad Tour 266 A tremendous rapping at my door announced that Bobby was again on the war-path. 1897 Daily News 30 Jan. 8/1 It is a safe prophecy that the Cretans will again be on the warpath. |