bun fight

English

Alternative forms

bunfight, bun-fight

Etymology

bun +‎ fight

Pronunciation

Audio (AU) (file)

Noun

bun fight (plural bun fights)

(idiomatic) A debate or disagreement, usually with several parties involved, often political in nature.
- 1915, John Galsworthy, chapter 25, in The Freelands:
  "Our interest in the thing is all lackadaisical, a kind of bun-fight of pet notions. There's no real steam."
- 2004 July 26, "A Duet That Straddles the Political Divide," New York Times (retrieved 21 Aug 2014):
  [O]ne of the big new hits on the Web is a silly, two-minute satire of the current Republican-Democrat bun fight, starring President Bush and Senator John Kerry as animated cutout figures.
- 2008 Nov. 24, Jane Martinson, "'We've had enough thinktankery'," Guardian (UK) (retrieved 21 Aug 2014):
  The debate over public service funding turned into a bun fight, says the communications minister.
- 2011 May 26, Steve Lohr, "Nigeria's prospects: A man and a morass," Economist (retrieved 21 Aug 2014):
  “Nigerian politics is one big bun-fight over oil money,” says Antony Goldman, a consultant.
(chiefly UK, slang) A formal tea party or other social gathering, especially one at which food is served.
- 1892, Campbell McKellar, “Judy on Society”, in A Jersey Witch‎, page 87:
  ... a party - afternoon bunfight, you know. A lot of young men in long frock-coats glued to the door-posts, so limp, poor things, and all the women drinking tea by themselves and longing for the young men.
- 1997 Feb. 20, Geoffrey Macnab, "Film Review: Africannes...," Independent (UK) (retrieved 21 Aug 2014):
  [T]he cineastes […] will descend on that shabby little seaside town in the south of France for the 50th Cannes bun fight.
- 2002 Aug. 17, Elizabeth Becker and James Dao, "A Washington Must: Embassies With Élan," New York Times (retrieved 21 Aug 2014):
  "Most people don't bother to go to those big ‘bun fight’ receptions anymore," said the spouse of an administration official.

Related terms

tea fight

References

bun fight at OneLook Dictionary Search
bun fight at World Wide Words