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 …
When was the word codswallop first used?
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 cod’s wallop?
‘Cods’ is a euphemism for testicles (as in cod-piece), and ‘Wallop’, a euphemism for beer.
How do you use codswallop in a sentence?
nonsensical talk or writing.
- What a load of codswallop!
- This is a load of codswallop.
- I’ve never heard such a load of old codswallop in my life.
- I think that’s a right load of old codswallop, and Tom agrees with me.
- He’s talking ( a load of ) codswallop.
- And it’s codswallop to boot.
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 poppycock and balderdash?
Poppycock, an older term for codswallop (though not as old as the 17th-century balderdash, a silly mixture of liquids like milk and ale), comes in lots rather than loads.
What is a poppycock British slang?
: empty talk or writing : nonsense.
What does the British term tickety boo mean?
fine, okay
Definition of tickety-boo
British. : fine, okay everything is going to be tickety-boo eventually— A. J. Liebling.
Where did the word poppycock originate?
Poppycock means nonsense, rubbish, something that is ridiculous or nonsensical. Poppycock comes to us from Dutch immigrants to America who brought with them the word pappekak, which reputedly means soft dung. As one may imagine, the term lost its original dung meaning in its transformation into the word poppycock.
What is a Hootenanny slang for?
Hootenanny is an Appalachian colloquialism that was used in the early twentieth century U.S. as a placeholder name to refer to things whose names were forgotten or unknown. In this usage it was synonymous with thingamajig or whatchamacallit, as in: “Hand me that hootenanny.”
Is Bumfuzzle a real word?
verb (used with object), bum·fuz·zled, bum·fuz·zling. Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S. to confuse or fluster.
What does twaddle mean in slang?
silly idle talk
: silly idle talk : drivel. : something insignificant or worthless : nonsense. that idea is pure twaddle. : one that twaddles : twaddler. twaddle.
What is the synonym of codswallop?
In this page you can discover 10 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for codswallop, like: rubbish, hogwash, wish-wash, folderol, tripe, trash, horseshit, poppycock, trumpery and applesauce.
What’s a clap trap?
Definition of claptrap
(Entry 1 of 2) : pretentious nonsense : trash.
What does Boulder Dash mean?
senseless, stupid, or exaggerated talk or writing; nonsense.
What’s the saying Bob’s your uncle mean?
idiom. British, informal. used to say that something is easy to do or use. Just complete the form, pay the fee, and Bob’s your uncle!
Where did the expression Tickety Boo come from?
Chiefly and originally British slang. Possibly from an Indo-Aryan language: compare Hindi ठीक है, बाबू (ṭhīk hai, bābū, “it’s all right, sir”). The phrase could have been picked up by British personnel in India before independence and spread in modified form to the United Kingdom and elsewhere in the Commonwealth.
Where did the word balderdash come from?
balderdash (n.)
1590s, of obscure origin despite much 19c. conjecture; in early use “a jumbled mix of liquors” (milk and beer, beer and wine, etc.); by 1670s as “senseless jumble of words.” Perhaps from dash and the first element perhaps cognate with Danish balder “noise, clatter” (see boulder).
What’s the difference in a hoedown and hootenanny?
Here’s what it says: A hoedown is a community social event featuring organized square dancing, whereas a hootenanny is a community social event stressing the playing of musical instruments (such as the fiddle, guitar, or piano), though dancing can also occur.
What is a Snollygoster person?
‘Snollygoster’, a word for “an unprincipled but shrewd person,” might derive from the word ‘snallygaster’, which is used to describe a mythical creature from rural Maryland that is half reptile and half bird.
What is the origin of twaddle?
Twaddle, meaning trivial or foolish speech or writing, has been in the language since the latter part of the eighteenth century. It is found first of all in the correspondence of Mrs Mary Delany, a famous letter writer, better known for her flower compositions under the title of Hortus Siccus.
What does pretentious twaddle mean?
noun. silly, trivial, or pretentious talk or writing; nonsense. verb. to talk or write (something) in a silly or pretentious way.
What is fol de rol?
1 : a useless ornament or accessory : trifle. 2 : nonsense.
When did trumpery become a word?
“Trumpery” first appeared in English in the mid-15th century with the meanings “deceit or fraud” (a sense that is now obsolete) and “worthless nonsense.” Less than 100 years later, it was being applied to material objects of little or no value.
What does bunkum mean?
insincere or foolish talk
: insincere or foolish talk : nonsense.