saber-rattling

[ sey-ber-rat-ling ]

noun

1. a show or threat of military power, especially as used by a nation to impose its policies on other countries.

Word History and Origins

Origin of saber-rattling¹

First recorded in 1920–25; saber, rattle ¹, -ing ¹

Idioms and Phrases

A flamboyant display of military power; also, aggressive blustering. For example, There had been a great deal of saber rattling between the two nations but hostilities had never broken out . This term, originating about 1920 and alluding to an officer indicating he would draw his saber, at first referred to threatening military force but later was extended to more general use, as in Both candidates engaged in pre-debate saber rattling .

Example Sentences

And, overall, the tone is much more contentious than during the West Coast negotiations, where there was relatively little saber-rattling and few people on either side viewed a strike as a serious threat.

From Los Angeles Times

In a statement Monday, after the labor board’s most recent ruling against the university system, UAW Local 4811 President Rafael Jaime called on “UC to face reality,” charging it with “legal saber-rattling.”

From Los Angeles Times

Mr. Netanyahu in recent days mounted airstrikes and sent tanks into Rafah in a saber-rattling move to make clear he is serious about invading the southern Gaza city.

From New York Times

“Putin might engage again in nuclear saber-rattling, and it would be foolish to dismiss escalatory risks entirely,” he wrote.

From New York Times

That response barely qualified as saber-rattling by recent standards, and was far less than many China-watchers had expected.

From Los Angeles Times