English

Alternative forms

• bun-fight

Noun

bun fight ‎(plural bun fights)

1. (chiefly Britain, idiomatic) A formal party or other social gathering, especially one at which food is served.
   • 1997 Feb. 20, Geoffrey Macnab , "Film Review: Africannes...," Independent (UK) (retrieved 21 Aug 2014):

     [T]he cineastes . . . will descend on that shabby little seaside town in the south of France for the 50th Cannes bun fight.

   • 2002 Aug. 17, Elizabeth Becker and James Dao, "A Washington Must: Embassies With Élan," New York Times (retrieved 21 Aug 2014):

     "Most people don't bother to go to those big ‘bun fight’ receptions anymore," said the spouse of an administration official.

2. (chiefly Britain, idiomatic) An altercation, especially one which is chaotic, not terribly serious, or outright ridiculous.
   • 1915, John Galsworthy, The Freelands, ch. 25:

     "Our interest in the thing is all lackadaisical, a kind of bun-fight of pet notions. There's no real steam."

   • 2004 July 26, "A Duet That Straddles the Political Divide," New York Times (retrieved 21 Aug 2014):

     [O]ne of the big new hits on the Web is a silly, two-minute satire of the current Republican-Democrat bun fight, starring President Bush and Senator John Kerry as animated cutout figures.

   • 2008 Nov. 24, Jane Martinson, "'We've had enough thinktankery'," Guardian (UK) (retrieved 21 Aug 2014):

     The debate over public service funding turned into a bun fight, says the communications minister.

   • 2011 May 26, Steve Lohr, "Nigeria's prospects: A man and a morass," Economist (retrieved 21 Aug 2014):

     “Nigerian politics is one big bun-fight over oil money,” says Antony Goldman, a consultant.

References

• bun fight at OneLook Dictionary Search
• bun fight at World Wide Words