Bandy about

Posted by Al on December 08, 2004

In Reply to: Bandy about posted by James Briggs on December 08, 2004

: : I browsed and found an explanation for 'bandy words'. Perhaps this is the same and has the same basis.

: : I'm querying the origin of the term 'bandy about', as in "don't bandy my name about", ie. just use my name loosely without any thought and spread it about.

: I don't know what you found out, but here's what I found.
: "Bandy" originated from an Old French word "Bander", which was used in an early form of tennis and meant to "hit a ball to and fro". Later, in the early 17th century, "Bandy" became the name of an Irish team game from which hockey evolved. The ball was "bandied" back and forth between players. The crooked shape of the stick with which the game was played has produced the modern expression "bandy-legged".

'Bandy' sounds a bit like 'banter' used in the rural US to mean light conversation with a bit of witty exchanges.