wave the bloody shirt
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
To mention the fallen and wars (especially the American Civil War) in an effort to draw empathy.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “wave the bloody shirt” mean?
To mention the fallen and wars (especially the American Civil War) in an effort to draw empathy.
Is “wave the bloody shirt” formal or informal?
wave the bloody shirt is generally slang.