bag of shells

English

Etymology

Misconstruction of bagatelle (“trifle”).

Noun

bag of shells (plural bags of shells)

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see bag,‎ shell.
2. A trifle.
   • 1914, Matthew M. Colton, Frank Armstrong at college‎^[1], page 39:

     For an ordinary intellect, yes, but for me a mere bagatelle, or bag-of-shells, as the ancients have it.