the handbags come out
English
Etymology
Coined 2004, circa March 2nd, by Jeremy St. Louis on the radio show Fox Sports World Report.[1] From women hitting each other with handbags during a catfight; compare earlier handbags, handbags at dawn.
Pronunciation
Audio (AU): (file)
Phrase
(deprecated template usage) the handbags come out
- (UK, idiomatic, soccer, rare) A row intensifies; a dispute becomes heated.
- 2008, Chris Charles, BBC Sport, 12 May 2008, “Premier League quotes of the season”:
- "I'm ready to take the blame for all the problems of English football, if that is what he wants."
- The handbags come out early doors when Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger responds to Ferguson's dig about the Gunners' foreign contingent.
- 2014, Oliver Wheaton, Metro, 26 Jul 2014, “Handbags: Israel has dig at Brazil’s 7-1 World Cup defeat after diplomatic row over Gaza bombing”:
- The handbags have come out after a diplomatic argument between Israel and Brazil got, well, very personal.
- 2008, Chris Charles, BBC Sport, 12 May 2008, “Premier League quotes of the season”:
Related terms
References
- ^ See post by djwalker, Mar 2, 2004, in “Official Jeremy St. Louis Thread”, Big Soccer, crediting St. Louis with the coinage: “Jeremy, / Love the line " . . . and then the handbags come out" / Brilliant!”