fly in the face of To recklessly defy or challenge; to act in bold opposition to. A bird or insect that flies in the face of a predator is acting against its instincts and thus courting trouble. The phrase is often used figuratively to describe political or social opposition:

Extensions of the expression include to fly in the face of danger and to fly in the face of providence, both of which carry a sense of reckless or impetuous disregard for safety.

kick against the pricks To protest in vain, to ineffectually resist a superior force or authority, especially to one’s own detriment. This expression appears several times in the Bible. In Acts 9:5 Jesus answers Saul’s question “Who art thou, Lord?” by answering:

Prick in this case literally refers to a sharp, pointed goad for oxen and figuratively to the voice of authority. To literally kick against the pricks then is a painful and thoroughly futile act.

kick over the traces To rebel, to resist or rise up against the accepted order, to throw off or defy conventional restraints. A harnessed horse literally kicks over the traces when it gets a leg outside the straps (traces) connecting its harness to a carriage or wagon.

left-wing Espousing radical or progressive political, social, or economic ideologies; favoring extensive political, social, or economic reform; socialistic; Communistic. This expression arose as the result of the French National Assembly of 1789 in which conservatives were seated in the right side, or wing, of the hall, moderates in the middle, and radical democrats and extremists in the left wing. This seating arrangement persists in several contemporary legislatures including the British Commonwealth Assemblies where politicians with radical or socialistic views usually sit to the left of the presiding officer. After World War II, and especially during the McCarthy era, left-wing usually implied that one was a Communist or a Communist sympathizer.

People or groups of people with left-wing philosophies are frequently called left wing, left-wingers, or the Left. The radical political activists in the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s were often called the New Left in an attempt to dissociate them and their activities from intimations of Communist influence or complicity.

sow dragon’s teeth See PROVOCATION.

take the bit between one’s teeth To cast off external controls and take charge of one’s own life; to rebel against unfair restraints or impositions. The bit in this expression refers to the mouthpiece of a bridle, attached to the reins used to control a horse. When a horse takes the bit between his teeth, the pain in his mouth is relieved and he becomes more manageable. This expression, dating from the early 17th century, often implies willful defiance. A variant is take the bit in one’s teeth.

young Turk An insurgent; one who advocates reform in a staid, conservative organization; a rebel; a political radical or liberal. In 1891, a group of reformists established the Young Turks, a political party dedicated to realigning the priorities of the Turkish Empire and instituting European ideologies and customs in governmental procedures. After inciting a revolt in 1908 in which the Sultan was deposed, the Young Turks remained a viable political force until the end of World War I. By extension, young Turk has assumed figurative implications as evidenced in this quote from John Gunther (1901-70), cited in Webster’s Third: