Dictionary
Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.
rattle one's sabre en · VERB
Meanings
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(alt-of, alternative) Alternative form of sabre-rattle.
While unfailingly courteous to the jury, he could be quite sharp with counsel and witnesses, and rattle his sabre at the press: his first reported words in the case were that any journalist thinking of interviewing a juror 'had better bring a toothbrush'.
2014, Michael Bloch, Jeremy Thorpe:Policies like these, which come close to being plunder, would seem to violate international law, but Washington's response to that is simply to rattle its sabre.
2006, Theodore Roszak, World, Beware!: American Triumphalism in an Age of Terror, page 96:It began to emerge from its hiatus in October of 1935 as planning for a new ministry began as Germany began to rattle its sabre once more.
2019, Erwin Warkentin, The Political Warfare Executive Syllabus Volume I:
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Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see rattle, sabre.
Forms