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a shot across the bow

a shot across the bow

a warning to stop doing something The lawsuit is a shot across the bow to businesses that are competing unfairly.
Etymology: based on the military practice of aiming a shot across the bow ( a small explosion in front of a ship) to force it to stop
See also: across, bow, shot

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Milada-Czech
Ereshkigalay-RESH-kee-gahl, er-esh-KIG-ahlNear Eastern Mythology
Hoshea-Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Leandrale-AHN-drah (Spanish)Portuguese, Spanish, Italian
SaraSAH-rah (Spanish, Finnish, Dutch, Polish), ZAH-rah (German), SER-ə (English), SAR-ə (English), SAH:-rah (Arabic)Greek, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, German
MerjaMER-yahFinnish
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