interjection
handbags
interjection
1
(British, informal, humorous) Said when a heated argument or petty squabble is more show than substance; roughly "calm down."
""Handbags!" someone shouted as the two players squared up without throwing a punch."
How to Use Handbags
Learner’s notes
When to use it
Very informal British slang, mostly used about minor scuffles in sport.
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"_____!" someone shouted as the two players squared up without throwing a punch.
Etymology
From the phrase "handbags at dawn," a joking reference to a fight that's all bluster and no real violence, likened to two people swinging handbags rather than fists.