bun fight

Noun

bun fight (plural bun fights)

1. (idiomatic) A debate or disagreement, usually with several parties involved, often political in nature.
   • "Our interest in the thing is all lackadaisical, a kind of bun-fight of pet notions. There's no real steam."1915, John Galsworthy, chapter 25, in The Freelands
   • [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.2004 July 26, “A Duet That Straddles the Political Divide”, in New York Times, retrieved 21 Aug 2014
2. (UK, slang) A formal tea party or other social gathering, especially one at which food is served.
   • ... a party - afternoon bunfight, you know. A lot of young men in long frock-coats glued to the door-posts, so limp, poor things, and all the women drinking tea by themselves and longing for the young men.1892, Campbell McKellar, “Judy on Society”, in A Jersey Witch, page 87
   • [T]he cineastes […] will descend on that shabby little seaside town in the south of France for the 50th Cannes bun fight.1997 February 20, Geoffrey Macnab, “Film Review: Africannes...”, in Independent, UK, retrieved 21 Aug 2014