nonsense
/'nɔnsəns/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- Words or language that have no meaning or make no sense: "Nonsense" refers to spoken or written communication that is absurd, illogical, or incomprehensible.
- Foolish or unacceptable behavior: "Nonsense" can also describe actions or ideas that are perceived as silly, stupid, or without good reason.
Adjective:
- Having no intelligible meaning; absurd: Used to describe something that is foolish, ridiculous, or lacking in sense.
Examples of Usage
Noun:
- He was talking complete nonsense about aliens building the pyramids.
- I'm tired of all this bureaucratic nonsense.
- "Nonsense!" she exclaimed. "That's simply not true!"
Adjective:
- The instructions were full of nonsense jargon that nobody understood.
- She dismissed the idea as a nonsense proposal.
Advanced Usage
- "To make (a) nonsense of something": to make something seem ridiculous or pointless; to undermine something.
- The constant rule changes make a nonsense of the competition.
- "Stuff and nonsense!": an old-fashioned, emphatic exclamation to say that something is completely untrue or ridiculous.
- "Stuff and nonsense! I've never heard anything so absurd in my life!"
Variants and Related Words
- Nonsensical (adj): Having no meaning; making no sense. ()
- Nonsense verse (n): A form of poetry or song that uses nonsensical, often humorous, language. ()
Synonyms
- For the noun (meaningless words): Gibberish, drivel, balderdash, claptrap, rubbish.
- For the noun (foolish behavior): Foolishness, absurdity, silliness, tomfoolery.
- For the adjective: Absurd, ridiculous, preposterous, meaningless.
Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)
(Note: "Nonsense" is primarily a noun/adjective and does not commonly form phrasal verbs. The related constructions are idiomatic.)
Related Idioms
- "A load of (old) nonsense": a phrase meaning something is completely untrue or foolish.
- His excuse was a load of old nonsense.
- "Stop talking nonsense" / "Don't talk nonsense": a common imperative to tell someone to stop saying things that are untrue or silly.
- Oh, stop talking nonsense and tell me what really happened.
Adjective
- having no intelligible meaning
- nonsense syllables
- a nonsensical jumble of words
Noun
- ornamental objects of no great value
- a message that seems to convey no meaning