show one's teeth

A form of bare one's teeth — To show one's teeth as a sign of aggression.

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Meanings

verbshow one's teeth (third-person singular simple present shows one's teeth, present participle showing one's teeth, simple past showed one's teeth, past participle shown one's teeth or (US also) showed one's teeth)

present singular third person shows one's teeth · participle present showing one's teeth · past showed one's teeth · participle past shown one's teeth · US also participle past showed one's teeth

  1. alternativeidiomaticAlternative form of bare one's teeth.

    We've come a long, long way boys! Now it's time for America to show its teeth. Fix bayonets!

    2016, DICE, Battlefield 1 (Historical Fiction), Stockholm: Electronic Arts, PC, Xbox One, Playstation 4, scene: American Ballroom Blitz Pre-Battle Speech (Operations), set in 1918
    1 more example

    The Czech president, Petr Pavel, has urged Nato to “show its teeth” in response to Russia’s repeated testing of the alliance’s resolve on its eastern flank, suggesting a range of options including switching off its internet, cutting off its banks from global financial systems and shooting down jets that violate allied airspace.

    2026 May 22, Jakub Krupa, Shaun Walker, “Czech president urges Nato to ‘show its teeth’ over Russia’s provocations”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with show one's teeth

Keithbeneathheathunderneathsithwreathsheathhadithneathbequeaththreeth
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

show one's teeth. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/show%20one's%20teeth

MLA

“show one's teeth.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/show%20one's%20teeth. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “show one's teeth,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/show%20one's%20teeth.

Source: show one's teeth on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.