What does 'to fight tooth and nail' mean?

Feifei: Hello, this The  English We Speak. I’m Feifei…

Rob: …and hello, I’m Rob.

Feifei: You’re looking a bit angry, Rob.

Rob: Yes, I am. I’m really angry. I’ve just

heard some bad news.

Feifei: Oh no. What’s happened?

Rob: It’s the cafe I go to. They’ve decided

to become a vegan cafe – no more meat.

Where am I going to buy my bacon

sandwich from now?!

Feifei: There could be worse things to get

angry about.

Rob: Really? I don’t think so. I’m going to

fight tooth and nail to get them to change

their mind.

Feifei: Ooo, that sounds painful –

protesting with your teeth and nails.

Rob: Of course not, Feifei. When you fight

tooth and nail for something, you use a lot

of effort and determination to get

something you want.

You can also do it to stop something

happening too.

Feifei: But it’s an odd phrase, Rob?

Rob: Yes, it’s a very old English phrase,

and basically means to use everything

you have available to get the outcome you

want.

Feifei: Even your teeth and nails?! Well,

let’s hear some examples of people

fighting tooth and nail…

We’re going to fight tooth and nail to stop

them building a new motorway going right

past our house.

After fighting tooth and nail, I finally

managed to get the pay rise I felt I

deserved.

My football team needs to fight tooth and

nail to stay in the top division. They have

to win today’s match!

Feifei: You’re listening to The English We Speak

from BBC Learning English, and we’re

talking about the phrase ‘to fight tooth

and nail’, which means to you use all your

efforts and determination to get something

you want or to stop something from

happening. And Rob, that’s what you’re

going to do to stop your favourite cafe

from serving vegan food.

Rob: Not exactly – they can sell vegan

food, but I want them to carry on selling

bacon sandwiches – I love them. That’s

what I’m fighting tooth and nail for.

Feifei: Yes I know. Well it can’t be a vegan

cafe if it sells bacon.

Rob: Right, well I’m going to organise a

petition to get bacon back – do you want

to sign it?

Feifei: No I don’t – but Rob, have you seen

this leaflet I was given? It says ‘50 percent

off all vegan food this week’. And guess

what? It’s at your favourite cafe.

Rob: 50 percent discount you say –

hmmm, maybe I should try some vegan food.

Feifei: Yes, try a beetroot hummus

sandwich – far healthier and less

fattening Rob.

Rob: Thanks! I will. Bye.

Feifei: Goodbye.