bloody shirt

noun

Definition of bloody shirt

: something intended to stir up or revive partisan animosity —usually used in the phrase wave the bloody shirt

Examples of bloody shirt in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Police responded to reports of a loud bang and a man in a bloody shirt throwing a blue bucket into a nearby dumpster, the Tribune reported. — Stephen Sorace, Fox News, "Dad charged with child abuse homicide after son, 2, shoots self, authorities say," 8 June 2018 To some Republican strategists, waving the bloody shirt of impeachment is unwise — at least this early in the election season. — Author: Jonathan Martin, Anchorage Daily News, "Republicans stoke fear of Democratic push for impeachment for an edge in the 2018 midterm election," 9 Apr. 2018 So basically, if there was some corroborating evidence — the knife was found, there was DNA, or a bloody shirt or something — that would have established it more clearly. — Mensah M. Dean, Philly.com, "Jury says 'not guilty' in stabbing of Philly Councilman David Oh," 29 Mar. 2018 Investigators also found a bloody shirt in the bathroom of a nearby gas station. — Crimesider Staff, CBS News, "Fort Bragg paratrooper charged in Texas teen's 2013 ax attack, rape," 13 Feb. 2018 Abiding by the age-old custom, the Berisha matriarch hangs her dead son’s bloody shirt up on the family clothesline. — Aaron Gilbreath, Longreads, "Stewards of the Blood," 23 Jan. 2018 Investigators found the bodies, the tire iron and the bloody shirt. — Michael Lambrix, CBS News, "Florida executes man convicted of 1983 killings," 6 Oct. 2017 Investigators found the bodies, the tire iron and the bloody shirt. — miamiherald, "Florida executes double murderer Michael Lambrix," 6 Oct. 2017 Investigators found the bodies, the tire iron and the bloody shirt. — miamiherald, "Florida executes double murderer Michael Lambrix," 6 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bloody shirt.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about bloody shirt

Dictionary Entries near bloody shirt

bloody-nosed beetle

Statistics for bloody shirt

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for bloody shirt

The first known use of bloody shirt was in 1670

See more words from the same year

Comments on bloody shirt

What made you want to look up bloody shirt? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

WORD OF THE DAY

superjacent

lying above or upon

Test Your Vocabulary

Words from Greek and Roman Mythology Quiz

Boreal comes from the name of the ancient Greek god of which wind?

Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

TAKE THE QUIZ

SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games