Meaning of rattle the sabre | Babel Free

Definitions

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

Examples

“Moreover, "in an age when such destructive forms of weapons exist as atomic and hydrogen weapons, it is impossible to threaten and rattle the sabre, ... to act as people once did in the period of colonial conquests."”

“The nineteenth century waas par excellence one of naval scares, not necessarily boosted by diplomatic crisis as in the period of intermittent war, when it had been Britain's turn to rattle the sabre, impressment serving as a successful diplomatic weapon in 1770 (the Falklands), 1787 (Holland) and 1790 (Nootka Sound).”

“As he told the kaiser's son, the crown prince, 'In any war which is unleashed without compelling reason, not only the Hohenzollern crown but the future of Germany is at stake. ... to rattle the sabre at any diplomatic entanglement without having honor, security, or the future of Germany endangered is not only bold beyond reason, but criminal.'”

CEFR level