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to pass 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

The efficacy of bandying threats of going to hell met its match in the Civil War.
Americans’ Burning Obsession With Hell William O’Connor September 25, 2014

At the very least, he’s been bandying about the ‘r’ word rather frequently.
Rush the Race-Baiter Conor Friedersdorf October 15, 2009

Historical Examples

There would be no bandying words between them, no involved explanations, no possibility of any further misunderstanding.
Mr. Grex of Monte Carlo E. Phillips Oppenheim

It will be well for you to answer questions instead of bandying them.
Little Novels of Italy Maurice Henry Hewlett

Her look bade him weigh words; they had passed beyond the borders of merriment, beyond the bandying of challenges.
Helena’s Path Anthony Hope

I remonstrated with him on the impropriety of bandying words with our servants.
Roughing it in the Bush Susanna Moodie

The finest assembly of gentlemen in the world are bandying evil names and punching each other’s heads.
Ireland as It Is Robert John Buckley (AKA R.J.B.)

Impossible that she should keep them yet impossible to send them back as if in a bandying of rebuffs.
Tante Anne Douglas Sedgwick

Then, as if to break away from bandying of compliments, he asked: “But what were the rumors you spoke of?”
The God of Love Justin Huntly McCarthy

They had known no empty words, no bandying of foolish phrases.
The Wolves of God Algernon Blackwood

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).