What it means
A proper scrap, a blue, a punch-up between two blokes who've had one too many. Works for any kind of fight really, from a dust-up in a pub car park to a full-on political barney in parliament. Comes from old military slang dating back to World War One. Still kicking around today whenever things get heated down under.
Usage examples
"There was a massive stoush outside the bottlo after the footy, the coppers had to break it up before someone lost a tooth"
"There was a bit of a stoush outside the pub after the match on Saturday."
"The two senators got into a proper stoush over the new bill."
Where it comes from
British and Anzac military slang that took off around the First World War for a brawl or punch-up. The deeper roots are murky, but the soldiers carried it home, and down under it still names any scrap, from a pub car park to a shouting match in parliament.
Editors of this term
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