toe-to-toe

toe-to-toe is a vivid way to describe opponents facing each other directly, often in a close, intense fight, argument, or competition. It usually works as an adverb, showing how people fight, stand, go, or compete: with no distance and no retreat. But when should you say go toe-to-toe with someone, and how is it different from a more general phrase like head-to-head? This lesson looks at the natural patterns around the expression, including its use before nouns in phrases like a toe-to-toe battle. Watch the full lesson to learn how to use toe-to-toe with confidence.