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to p-ss from one to another or back and forth; give and take; trade; exchange:
to bandy blows; to bandy words.
to throw or strike to and fro or from side to side, as a ball in tennis.
to circulate freely:
to bandy gossip.
(of legs) having a bend or crook outward; bowed:
a new method for correcting bandy legs.
an early form of tennis.
chiefly british. (formerly) hockey or shinny.
obsolete. a hockey or shinny stick.
contemporary examples

fewer than 24 hours before voting begins, confusion reigns and contradictory information is bandied about.
could hugo chávez really lose venezuela’s election? boris muñoz october 5, 2012

but no one went through with the arson threats that were bandied about back then, says c-mmins.
cleveland wants to burn down ariel castro’s house. should it be? christine pelisek may 12, 2013

newspapers howled, congress investigated, and the “i” word, impeachment, was bandied about.
the taxonomy of scandals: is obama nearing a breaking point? lloyd green may 26, 2013

the term “reform” is bandied about by many, but few have submitted any viable, concrete proposals.
up to speed: all you need to know about the thai coup lennox samuels may 26, 2014

the definition of “substantial burden” has been bandied about for years by courts, with very different results.
how anti-gay will mississippi’s ‘new’ religious freedom bill be? jay michaelson march 10, 2014

historical examples

i have said that mr. charrington’s name was bandied about among the sensual and the vulgar—all over england—as a term of reproach.
the great acceptance cyril arthur edward ranger gull

all the secrets and signs were bandied about and laughed at among the boys.
in school and out oliver optic

the most prejudiced of those who had bandied her name about for the past few weeks felt a dim sense of shame.
the queen against owen allen upward

they are quarrelling about the qualification, and angry words were bandied about.
the greville memoirs (second part) charles c. f. greville

a disgraceful quarrel ensued, in which the most vulgar epithets and the grossest witticisms were bandied between them.
louis xiv., makers of history series john s. c. abbott

adjective -dier, -diest
also bandy-legged. having legs curved outwards at the knees
(of legs) curved outwards at the knees
(austral, informal) knock someone bandy, to amaze or astound
verb (transitive) -dies, -dying, -died
to exchange (words) in a heated or hostile manner
to give and receive (blows)
(often foll by about) to circulate (a name, rumour, etc)
to throw or strike to and fro; toss about
noun (pl) -dies
an early form of hockey, often played on ice
a stick, curved at one end, used in the game of bandy
an old form of tennis
v.

1570s, “to strike back and forth,” from middle french bander, from root of band (n.2). the sense apparently evolved from “join together to oppose,” to opposition itself, to “exchanging blows,” then metaphorically, to volleying in tennis. bandy (n.) was a 17c. irish game, precursor of field hockey, played with curved a stick (also called a bandy), hence bandy-legged (1680s).