bun fight

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

bun +‎ fight

Pronunciation
  • Audio (AU)(file)

Noun

bun fight (plural bun fights)

  1. (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”, in New York Times, retrieved 21 August 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 November 24, Jane Martinson, “'We've had enough thinktankery'”, in Guardian, UK, retrieved 21 August 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”, in Economist, retrieved 21 August 2014:
      “Nigerian politics is one big bun-fight over oil money,” says Antony Goldman, a consultant.
  2. (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 February 20, Geoffrey Macnab, “Film Review: Africannes...”, in Independent, UK, retrieved 21 August 2014:
      [T]he cineastes […] will descend on that shabby little seaside town in the south of France for the 50th Cannes bun fight.
    • 2002 August 17, Elizabeth Becker, James Dao, “A Washington Must: Embassies With Élan”, in New York Times, retrieved 21 August 2014:
      "Most people don't bother to go to those big ‘bun fight’ receptions anymore," said the spouse of an administration official.

References
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