on the warpath

noun, plural war·paths [wawr-path z, -pahth z, -paths, -pahths] /ˈwɔrˌpæðz, -ˌpɑðz, -ˌpæθs, -ˌpɑθs/.

1. the path or course taken by American Indians on a warlike expedition.

Idioms

2. on the warpath,
   1. seeking, preparing for, or engaged in war or aggressive pursuit.
   2. in a state of anger or indignation; hostile.

noun

1. the route taken by North American Indians on a warlike expedition
2. on the warpath
   1. preparing to engage in battle
   2. informalin a state of anger

n.1775, in reference to North American Indians, from war (n.) + path (n.). From a Native American expression for war, to be “on the warpath” is to be exceedingly angry and to be inclined to take some hostile action: “Watch out! John is on the warpath today.” Furious and on a hostile course of action, as in When the meat wasn’t delivered, the chef went on the warpath. This expression was an English translation of a Native American term that literally means “a path used by a war party.” Go on the war path thus meant “go to battle.” It was used in this way by James Fenimore Cooper in The Deerslayer (1841); its present hyperbolic use dates from the late 1800s. see on the warpath.