a. [f. SWASHBUCKLER (apprehended as an agent-n. in -EN1) + -ING2.] Acting like, or characteristic of the conduct of, a swashbuckler; noisily swaggering, blustering. So Swashbuckling sb.
a. 1693. Urquhart’s Rabelais, III. xlii. 349. The huff, snuff,… swash-buckling High Germans.
1855. Daily Missouri Democrat, 28 March, 2/2. That despicable swashbuckling fellow, the editor [Boernstein] of the Anzeiger des Westens, on Tuesday morning fully endorsed the Know Nothing primary meetings of the bogus Republican.
1863. Sala, in Temple Bar, IX. 65. The Hungarian are stout wines, of a swashbuckling flavour; but a man needs a strong head to drink pottle deep of them.
1865. Kingsley, Herew., xxxii. A liar, a bully, a robber, a swash-buckling ruffian.
1888. Boston (Mass.) Transcript, 7 July, 4/4. Swashbucklers are generally satisfied with swashbuckling.
1889. T. B. Reed in Boy’s Own Paper, 3 Aug., 696/1. A score or more of swashbuckling ’prentices were on board the ship.
1894. Athenæum, 27 Oct., 565/3. The one occasionally degenerates into artifice, and the other into literary swashbuckling.
Hence (back-formation) Swashbuckle v., to swagger noisily, act like a blustering bravo.
1897. Westm. Gaz., 6 Jan., 3/1. He strikes one as a bravo, he swashbuckles and swaggers.
