What does the phrase codswallop mean?

nonsense
One of the words in the appeal (and later in the series) was codswallop, which had made its first appearance in the OED in the supplementary volume published in 1972, in which it was recorded as a slang word meaning ‘nonsense, drivel’.

What is the origin of the saying codswallop?

A frequently given etymology, although widely rejected as a folk etymology, derives it from Hiram Codd, British soft drink maker of the 1870s, known for the eponymous Codd-neck bottle, with the suggestion that codswallop is a derisive term for soft drinks by beer drinkers, from Codd’s + wallop (“beer (slang)”) “Codd’s …

What does codswallop mean in the UK?

nonsense
regard all this as codswallop. … The word, meaning ‘‘nonsense,” is British English: as a slang synonym for rubbish, bosh, humbug, hogwash, tommyrot, tripe and drivel, the newer codswallop was observed in The Radio Times in 1963.

When was the word codswallop first used?

First attested in 1959, codswallop appears to be a relatively young term, perhaps originating from from wallop (beer), and cod in one of its various senses, perhaps “testicles.” (As in a codpiece.) A 1966 citation in the Oxford English Dictionary spells it cod’s wallop.

What part of speech is codswallop?

noun
CODSWALLOP (noun) definition and synonyms | Macmillan Dictionary.

What does Collywobbles mean in British slang?

an upset stomach
collywobbles in British English

(ˈkɒlɪˌwɒbəlz ) plural noun. the collywobbles slang. an upset stomach.

What is the word Flapdoodle mean?

nonsense
: foolish words : nonsense.

What is codswallop in a sentence?

Meaning: n. nonsensical talk or writing. 1, What a load of codswallop! 2, This is a load of codswallop. 3, I’ve never heard such a load of old codswallop in my life.

Where does the saying a load of old cobblers come from?

The phrase originated as Cockney rhyming slang where “cobblers” refers to cobbler’s awls which rhymes with “balls” (testicles). The use of the rhyme allows a taboo word, in this case the vulgar exclamation “balls!”, to be avoided. The use of “cobblers” as a synonym for balls dates back to at least the 1930s.

What does Ninnyhammer mean?

fool
noun. a fool or simpleton; ninny.

Where does the saying full of malarkey come from?

According to Oxford Dictionaries, malarkey is “meaningless talk; nonsense,” it came into use in the 1920s and its specific origin is unknown. There is an Irish name — Mullarkey. But a connection from the name to the word hasn’t been established.

What is a bunkum mean?

Definition of bunkum

: insincere or foolish talk : nonsense.

What is a throttlebottom?

Definition of Throttlebottom

: an innocuously inept and futile person in public office.

Is Cattywampus a real word?

Cattywampus is a variant of catawampus, another example of grand 19th century American slang. In addition to “askew” catawampus may refer to “an imaginary fierce wild animal,” or may mean “savage, destructive.”

What is the origin of Cattywampus?

Catawampus, meaning “askew, diagonal,” is first recorded in the 1830–40s. Originally, catawampus also meant “fierce.” It’s thought to be an American colloquialism influenced by the cater- in cater-cornered (or for many of us, kitty-corner) and wampish, Scottish for “flopping about.”

What does wabbit mean?

exhausted
/ (ˈwæbɪt) / adjective. Scot weary; exhausted.

What is a Smellfungus person?

: a captious critic : faultfinder.

Where did play hooky come from?

A bride might play hooky from her wedding, or a pilot could play hooky from work, leaving her plane sitting on the runway. The phrase comes from nineteenth century New York City slang, and it’s thought to have its roots in the Dutch word hoekje, or “hide-and-seek.”

What is caddy corner mean?

Something that is catty-corner or kitty-corner from another thing is placed or arranged diagonally from it. [US] There was a police car catty-corner across the street.

What does Bamboozler mean?

transitive verb. 1 : to deceive by underhanded methods : dupe, hoodwink I got bamboozled by the salesperson to buy a more expensive model. 2 : to confuse, frustrate, or throw off thoroughly or completely a quarterback bamboozled by an unexpected defense.

Where does the expression cute as a button come from?

the button quail is a very small gray super, super fluffy squishy looking (or ‘cute’ if you will) bird. people used to say “cute as a button”, meaning “cute as a button quail” b/c the bird was considered so adorable.

What is the origin of the expression cute as a button?

First, both the words cute and button come to English from Latin by way of French. … Well, it turns out that in addition to the meaning of small, aigu is often used in medical terminology to mean a condition that appears abruptly and needs urgent care, which is also true of the English acute.