shot across the bow

From the naval tactic of firing a warning shot across the bow or front portion of a ship in order to force it to stop or alter its course.

• "President [Franklin] Pierce, like a great war ship, fired two shots across the bows of the Congress, to bring matters to."
• "Scientists considered collectively are remarkably single-minded in their views about what is important and what is not. If a graduate student gives a seminar and no one comes or no one asks a question, it is very sad, but not so sad as the question gallantly put by a senior or a colleague that betrays that he hasn't listened to a word. But it is a warning sign, a shot across the bows."
• "Though I have fired a few shots across the bows of some of my critics, notably the late Professor Lon Fuller and Professor R[onald] M[yles] Dworkin, I have hitherto made no general comprehensive reply to any of them; I have preferred to watch and learn from a most instructive running debate in which some of the critics have differed from others as much as they have differed from me."
• "That part of the release wouldn't so much be a warning shot across the bow as one aimed right at the bridge, Kealty thought."
• "In fact, many members of Congress sought to influence or halt decision making altogether—firing shots across the bow designed to intimidate the adjudicators before a decision could be made. This sort of interference was and is entirely inconsistent with the rule of law."
• "While I'm persuaded by the Chairman's bona fides in this area, I think this is a shot across the bow. I'm sure the Attorney General and his representatives can discern what import and I hope the sentiment of the full Committee are."
• "This is often used as a "shot across the bow," warning the borrower how seriously the lender views the default."
• "This was a shot across the bow of the Florida justices, a warning against further activism in this case, but one with relatively little practical significance at this late date."
• "Before punishing, place a shot across the bow—provide a clear warning to let people know exactly what negative things will happen should they continue down their current path, but don't actually administer discipline yet."
• "Perhaps her refusal to marry him would be the shot across the bows Jack needed to help him face his demons. But somehow she doubted it."

• warning shot