fire a (warning) shot across sb's bow
formalto do something in order to warn someone that you will take strong action if that person does not change their behaviour:
Airline employees have fired a warning shot across the company's bows by threatening to strike if higher pay increases are not offered.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Threats & warnings
- (I) told you (so)! idiom
- (just) you wait idiom
- bell
- cautionary tale
- do you want to make something/anything of it? idiom
- early warning system
- emergency cord
- heads-up
- notice
- one swallow doesn't make a summer idiom
- ring/sound alarm bells idiom
- siren
- slap
- sound
- tip
- tip sb off
- tip-off
- wake-up call
- warning
- warning/alarm bells start to ring/sound idiom
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