Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
sabre-rattling. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
sabre-rattling, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
sabre-rattling in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
sabre-rattling you have here. The definition of the word
sabre-rattling will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
sabre-rattling, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From the early 20th century, when an officer would threaten to draw his sabre.
Pronunciation
Noun
sabre-rattling (countable and uncountable, plural sabre-rattlings)
- (idiomatic) A flamboyant display of military power as an implied threat that it might be used.
- (idiomatic, figuratively) Any threat, such as one company threatening another with a lawsuit.
Translations
display of military power as an implied threat
See also
Verb
sabre-rattling
- present participle and gerund of sabre-rattle
Adjective
sabre-rattling (comparative more sabre-rattling, superlative most sabre-rattling)
- Bellicose; threatening military action.
2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin, published 2003, page 121:But it excited much discontent in sabre-rattling court circles which regarded Austrophilia as the most un-French of diplomatic perversions.
Related terms
Anagrams