This idiom describes unleashing chaos, destruction, or conflict, often deliberately, as if releasing war dogs to wreak havoc. It conveys a call to aggressive action, typically used in dramatic, political, or literary contexts to depict escalating strife.

The phrase carries a tone of intensity, foreboding, or rallying, reflecting cultural values of control and the human tendency to incite turmoil. Its martial imagery evokes a ferocious release, resonating in scenarios like battles or upheavals. The idiom warns of unleashed chaos, making it a grandiose metaphor for inciting conflict.

The phrase originates from William Shakespeare’s *Julius Caesar* (1599), where Mark Antony says, ‘Cry ‘Havoc!’ and let slip the dogs of war.’ It refers to a medieval military command to plunder. The idiom gained traction in 18th-century literature, notably in Jonathan Swift’s essays (1720s). Its spread was amplified by war poetry and 20th-century media, with *The Times* using it for global conflicts. Its adoption across English-speaking cultures stems from its dramatic imagery and relevance to chaos.