break one's lance

From the sport of jousting.

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break one's lance (third-person singular simple present breaks one's lance, present participle breaking one's lance, simple past broke one's lance, past participle broken one's lance)

1. (idiomatic) To engage in an honorable fight.
   • 1848 Feb. 8th, 23rd, March 1st, 17th, House of Commons, The Debates on motion for papers, with a view to the impeachment of the right hon. Henry J. Temple Viscount Palmerston, page 14:

     Then you have Sweden, too, burning with desire to break a lance with Russia on the question of Polish independence.

   • 1870, The editors, The Statesman, volume 1:

     Inasmuch as our correspondent has such a poor opinion of the capacity of men to write understandingly and impartially upon feminine topics, we say to her and everybody else, "The lists are open, ladies—hissez alia!" We will be but as the heralds at the tourney, to sound the trumpets and preserve order. There is a fair field for our correspondent, whether she desires to break a lance with those detractors of her sex whom she so indignantly castigates, or only desires to set the world of fashion right as to the style of a bonnet.

   • 1971, Theo Lippman with Donald C. Hansen, Muskie:

     That is that you haven't broken your lance in any really major cause, that you haven't been actually out front and center on the really controversial issues. What is your comment on that criticism?"

   • 2011, George M. Logan, The Cambridge Companion to Thomas More, page 110:

     There is no record of More's paying any special attention to heresy until Henry VIII took it upon himself to break a lance with Martin Luther, and summoned More to join him in the lists.