Warpath

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A determined journey characterized by a commitment to conflict or retribution
2. A posture or attitude marked by eagerness to engage in conflict or dispute
3. A mood or stance showing intent to confront or challenge others aggressively

Etymology: The image behind "warpath" is literal: a route taken by a people going to battle. The word combines "war" with "path", and in its earliest sense it named the trail that a group, usually a Native American nation in North American contexts, followed when setting out to fight. Once a party was "on the warpath," it was committed to hostilities, which explains why the phrase slid easily into describing a mood rather than a journey. The meaning shifted from the physical road to the state of mind. Someone who is "on the warpath" today is not walking anywhere; they are spoiling for an argument, ready to confront whoever crosses them. The metaphor keeps the sense of a deliberate course of action, so the person is treated as having set out on a path toward conflict rather than simply feeling irritable.

Synonyms: path of aggression, path of vengeance