grow teeth
v. phr.— «If the law grows teeth, either by the power of taxation or by outlawing home taping, it could curtail the sale and import of cassette recorders and parts for their repair, thus bringing this rapidly growing field to a virtual halt.» —“Sound; Home Taping. The Legal Issue Comes To A Boil” by Hans Fantel New York Times Aug. 29, 1982. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)