'ding-dong'

[Olympian]

Hello,

The following is from the 3rd episode titled 'The Great Game' of BBC TV series Sherlock

What is the meaning of 'ding-dong' here? Does it mean 'a physical fight'?
Is it a British usage or is it also used in AmE?


Sherlock: Just tell me what happened from the beginning.

Prisoner: We had been to a bar... Nice place, and, er, I got chatting with one of the waitresses, and Karen weren't happy with that, so... When we get back to the hotel, we end up having a bit of a ding-dong.

The following dialog is somewhat amusing from an English point of view.

Sherlock: Sigh

Prisoner: She's always getting at me, saying I weren't a real man.

Sherlock: Wasn't a real man.

Prisoner: - What?

Sherlock: It's not "weren't", it's "wasn't".

Prisoner: Oh.

Sherlock: Go on

Prisoner: Well... Then I don't know how it happened, but suddenly there's a knife in my hands... And me old man was a butcher, so I know how to handle knives. He learned us how to cut up a beast.

Sherlock: Taught.

Prisoner: What?

Sherlock: - Taught you how to cut up a beast.

Prisoner: Yeah, well, then I done it.

Sherlock: - Did it.

Prisoner: - Did it! Stabbed her, over and over and over, and I looked down, and she weren't... wasn't... moving no more. Any more. God help me, I dunno how it happened, but it was an accident, I swear.

Sherlock gets up to leave.

Prisoner: You've got to help me, Mr. Holmes! Everyone says you're the best.
Without you... I'll get hung for this.

Sherlock: No, no, Mr. Bewick, not at all. ..... Hanged, yes.

You have to see it because it is more interesting with the expressions.

[5jj]

It's not uncommon in BrE. It could be physical, but, in my opinion, it's more likely to be verbal.

[Olympian]

It's not uncommon in BrE. It could be physical, but, in my opinion, it's more likely to be verbal.

@fivejedjon, thank you.

[ribran]

It's not uncommon in BrE. It could be physical, but, in my opinion, it's more likely to be verbal.

How interesting! In the United States, a ding-dong is a goofy, forgetful, or just plain stupid person.