Go To The Mattresses Meaning

Example : 1969, Mario Puzo, The Godfather, Putnam, p.132:  I want Sollozzo. If not, it's all-out war. We'll go to the mattresses.1988, Glen Waggoner, "Sports: Collusion Is Over, but Excess Is Back," New York Times, 18 Dec. (retrieved 21 Sep. 2008):  They will have to go to the mattresses; that is they will have to risk a long ugly strike.2008, "Transcript: CNN LARRY KING LIVE—Interview with Senator Hillary Clinton," CNN analyst Jamal Simmons speaking, 21 Apr.:  Now, when you're fighting Republicans . . . Democrats are all rallied around and ready to go ahead and go to the mattresses.