sabre-rattle

present singular third person sabre-rattles · participle present sabre-rattling · participle past sabre-rattled · past sabre-rattled · alternative sabre rattle · alternative saber-rattle · alternative saber rattle · alternative rattle the sabre · alternative rattle the saber · alternative rattle a sabre · alternative rattle a saber · alternative rattle one's sabre · alternative rattle one's saber

1. To threaten a big battle or war.

   Do I want to change group norms (say to get higher output, or acceptance of change) or just sabre-rattle?

   1991, Robert Arthur Lee, Peter Lawrence, Politics at work, page 91

   3 more examples

   Then you speak of "the President's spread-eagle patriotism," his delight in "barnyard language," his "readiness to sabre-rattle at the ripple of a flag,"

   1969, Lawrence Edmund Spivak, Meet the Press: America's Press Conference of the Air

   The Chinese and the Russians sabre-rattle like mad against each other, but they both seem to be super-practical countries in that they trade with each other when they need to.

   1980, Optical Spectra - Volume 14, page 164

   If I go in all confident, all don't-even-think-of-fucking-with-me, they'll rabble-rouse and sabre-rattle to beat the band.

   2013, John Andrew Fredrick, The King of Good Intentions, page 105