"wigs on the green" meaning in English

{
  "etymology_text": "In reference to the wigs that gentlemen used to wear, which might fall to the ground during a fight.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "p"
      },
      "expansion": "wigs on the green pl (plural only)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Irish English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "46 54",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English pluralia tantum",
          "parents": [
            "Pluralia tantum",
            "Nouns",
            "Lemmas"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1853 October 22, Captain Michael Rafter, “Done Brown”, in The London Journal, vol.XVIII no.452 p.119",
          "text": "“I am sorry to perceive, sir, as you say; but you have been in some hot work, sir! I'll engage you have seen some wigs on the green?”\n“Wigs on the green!” exclaimed the elegant stranger, with a very cold, aristocratical stare.\n“Beg pardon, sir!” said Mr. Brown, when he became conscious of his vulgarity. “'Tis our Irish mode of expression, sir, when we speak of a row, or a skrimmage! I dare say you have been in many a skrimmage, Sir John![”]",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A fight; a brawl."
      ],
      "id": "en-wigs_on_the_green-en-noun-m4DMHCE4",
      "links": [
        [
          "fight",
          "fight"
        ],
        [
          "brawl",
          "brawl"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(archaic, Ireland) A fight; a brawl."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Ireland",
        "archaic",
        "plural",
        "plural-only"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Irish English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "46 54",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English pluralia tantum",
          "parents": [
            "Pluralia tantum",
            "Nouns",
            "Lemmas"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1998 Frank McCourt, Angela's Ashes Ch.XII (Simon and Schuster) p.272",
          "text": "She says, If ye don't fix yeer brother's shoes an' I have to get out of this bed there will be wigs on the green."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Big trouble."
      ],
      "id": "en-wigs_on_the_green-en-noun-0wKRZWkx",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(dated, Ireland, as a formulaic threat) Big trouble."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Ireland",
        "as a formulaic threat",
        "dated",
        "plural",
        "plural-only"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "wigs on the green"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English nouns",
    "English pluralia tantum"
  ],
  "etymology_text": "In reference to the wigs that gentlemen used to wear, which might fall to the ground during a fight.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "p"
      },
      "expansion": "wigs on the green pl (plural only)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with archaic senses",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Irish English"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1853 October 22, Captain Michael Rafter, “Done Brown”, in The London Journal, vol.XVIII no.452 p.119",
          "text": "“I am sorry to perceive, sir, as you say; but you have been in some hot work, sir! I'll engage you have seen some wigs on the green?”\n“Wigs on the green!” exclaimed the elegant stranger, with a very cold, aristocratical stare.\n“Beg pardon, sir!” said Mr. Brown, when he became conscious of his vulgarity. “'Tis our Irish mode of expression, sir, when we speak of a row, or a skrimmage! I dare say you have been in many a skrimmage, Sir John![”]",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A fight; a brawl."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "fight",
          "fight"
        ],
        [
          "brawl",
          "brawl"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(archaic, Ireland) A fight; a brawl."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Ireland",
        "archaic",
        "plural",
        "plural-only"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English dated terms",
        "Irish English"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1998 Frank McCourt, Angela's Ashes Ch.XII (Simon and Schuster) p.272",
          "text": "She says, If ye don't fix yeer brother's shoes an' I have to get out of this bed there will be wigs on the green."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Big trouble."
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(dated, Ireland, as a formulaic threat) Big trouble."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Ireland",
        "as a formulaic threat",
        "dated",
        "plural",
        "plural-only"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "wigs on the green"
}