rattle one's sabre

Definitions

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see rattle, sabre.

Examples

“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.”

“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'.”

“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.”

CEFR level