Meaning of drop the gloves | Babel Free

Definitions

1. To fight.
   Canada, US, idiomatic
2. To remove a prior impediment to action; to prepare for or engage in a dispute.
   Canada, US, broadly, idiomatic

Examples

“Nobody used to care when players such as John Ferguson, Bobby Orr, Gordie Howe and Maurice Richard dropped the gloves, because they could play⟳ the game, too.”

“But Bradley, who dropped the gloves on Gore in a combative debate⟳ Wednesday night and called the vice president chronically dishonest, ignored Sullivan's advice.”

CEFR level