English for Students

English : Ding Dong Battle

What is the meaning and origin of Ding Dong Battle?

Remember the nursery rhyme we learnt in school. Ding dong bell, pussy is in the well. Well the expression ding-dong refers to the sound that bell makes. That is nothing but the back and forth motion of the knocker hitting the bell. When you say that tow participants were involved in a ding-dong battle, what you mean is that they are involved in a long drawn out battle. The fight was intense and there were times when each participant seemed to have the upper hand in turns. In a ding-dong battle, it is often very difficult to predict who will emerge the winner. Sometimes the result is inconclusive. Another expression which has more or less the same meaning is see-saw battle. When you sit on a see-saw, you are up one moment and down the next moment.

• The Cricket fans were hoping for a ding-dong battle. They were disappointed when the Australians thrashed the Indians.