bandy

t. & i. [Prob. from Fr. bander = to bandy, with some allusion to bande = a side.] A. Transitive: L Literally : To to backwards and forwards, as a ball in the game of tennis or any similar play. "They do cunningly, from one hand to another, bandy the service like a tennis ball."- Spenser . "What from the tropicks can the earth repel? What vigorous arm, what repercu ive blow, Bandies the mighty globe still to and fro?" II. Figuratively: Black more. 1. To exchange anything in a more or le similar way with another person. (a) In a general sense: "Had she affections and warm youthful blood, She'd be as swift in motion as a ball; My words would bandy her to my sweet love, And his to me. Shakesp.: Rom & Jul., il. B. (b) Spec.: Used of the exchange of words or blows with an adversary. "And bandied many a word of boast." Scott: Lay of the Last Minstrel , v. 14. "While he and Musgrave bandied blows." Ibid., 27. 2. To agitate, to to about. "This hath been so bandied amongst us, that on can hardly mi books of this kind."-Locke. The American Dictionary and Cyclopedia "Ever since men have been united into governments the endeavours after universal monarchy have been bandied among them."- Swift . "Let not obvious and known truth, or some of the most plain and certain propositions, be bandied about in a disputation."- Watts B. Intransitive : 1. Lit .: To drive a ball backward and forward in playing tennis. "That while he had been bandying at tennis..." Webster: Vittoria Corombona. ( Nares. ) 2. Fig.: To drive anything to and fro; specially, to exchange blows with an adversary. "A valiant son-in-law thou shalt enjoy: One fit to bandy with thy lawle sons, To ruffle in the commonwealth of Rome." Shakesp.: Titus Andron., 1. 1. băn-dỹ-ing, pr . par . & a . [BANDY, V.] "After all the bandying attempts of resolution, it is as much a question as ever."-Glanville.