I need help with British Slang...

[Mrs.Clayton]

Maybe someone here can help...In the song "Peace the F*ck out" by Travis, they sing of "handbags at dawn"...at the concert the other night, Fran said it was slang about_____(I was in the balcony and didn't hear what he said)
Anyone heard that phrase before?
Thanks

 

[meegannie]

handbags Noun. A harmless altercation. Abb. of handbags at dawn, which in itself is a pun on pistols at dawn, a reference to duelling. E.g."When they discover we've spent the holiday money it's going to be handbags."



Not going to be using that one, I don't think.

 

[meegannie]

That's from http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/index.htm , by the way.

 

[Aralitia]

Everday in our house: You better be ready before 8 tomorrow morning of there will be handbags. i.e. there will be trouble if you don't get out of your scratcher (bed)

 

[Mrs.Clayton]

Everday in our house: You better be ready before 8 tomorrow morning of there will be handbags. i.e. there will be trouble if you don't get out of your scratcher (bed)

Thank you.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

now the song "hangbags and gladrags" makes even less sense to me. i looked up what gladrags meant, and i don't see what the two have to do with the other?

 

[Peter Seddon]

now the song "hangbags and gladrags" makes even less sense to me. i looked up what gladrags meant, and i don't see what the two have to do with the other?

A handbag is what Americans would call a purse, thus the phrase 'handbags at dawn' would, as mentioned above, mean a fight in which 2 people swung their handbags at each other, causing very little actual damage.
Gladrags, as you already know are party clothes, thus 'handbags and gladrags' are 'purses and party clothes' which, from what I can recall of the lyrics were bought for the subject of the song.
Hope it makes a bit more sense now!

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

Hope it makes a bit more sense now!

thank you, it does!!

 

[fah]

I'm learning so much here.

I had no idea what a 'gladrag' was and I had been listening to that song for years.

Thanks