From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishthe cut and thrust of somethingthe cut and thrust of somethingVIOLENTthe exciting but sometimes difficult or unpleasant way that something is done the cut and thrust of political debate → cut
Examples from the Corpus
the cut and thrust of something• It has all the cut and thrust of an ideological conflict.• Away from the cut and thrust of soccer management, Bates knew how to keep second wife Pam in her place. 