What does bandied mean?
To 'bandy' something is to throw it back and forth, and its past forms 'bandied' and 'bandying' capture this motion in language. Most commonly, people bandy words — trading remarks, accusations, or witty retorts in rapid exchange — and journalists or gossips speak of a name being 'bandied about,' meaning it circulates widely in speculation or rumor. The verb carries a slightly informal, sometimes dismissive connotation: things that are bandied are treated casually rather than weighed seriously. The word's history is delightfully concrete: it descends from an old ball game resembling hockey or tennis, where players literally struck a curved stick called a 'bandy,' so every verbal volley today echoes that original back-and-forth play. For writers, 'bandied' offers a vivid alternative to plainer verbs like 'discussed' or 'mentioned,' lending energy and a hint of contention to any description of lively or careless talk.
verb (past participle / past tense)Past form of the verb 'bandy': to pass back and forth, especially words or remarks in casual or contentious exchange.
- To toss or exchange remarks, accusations, or names back and forth between people
- (of information or rumors) to circulate freely from person to person
"The lawyers bandied accusations across the table all afternoon."
"The two debaters bandied statistics until neither could recall who had made the first point."
"His name was bandied about as a possible candidate long before he announced anything."
'Bandied' comes from a medieval tennis-like game — to bandy originally meant to hit a ball back and forth, which is why arguments today still get 'batted' around like a ball.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bandied
'Bandied' is the past participle of 'bandy,' which entered English in the late 16th or early 17th century from French 'bander,' meaning to take sides or to strike back and forth. The term derives from the old game of bandy-ball, a forerunner of field hockey played with a bent wooden stick, whose very name reflects the curved implement used in play. From literal ball-play the sense extended figuratively to the exchange of words, giving us phrases like 'to bandy words with someone.' The related English word 'banter' may share a distant connection through similar senses of verbal give-and-take.
Related word forms
How bandied is actually used
Almost always used in the passive ('was bandied about') or in reciprocal exchanges between two parties. The register is neutral to slightly literary; it often carries a connotation of frivolous or careless handling of serious matters, especially when rumors are 'bandied about.'
Easily confused with bandied
'Banded' means marked or bound with bands or stripes, whereas 'bandied' means passed back and forth in conversation or argument.