tommy rot
Definition
Noun (uncountable): - Nonsense or foolish talk, ideas, or behavior: "tommy rot" refers to something that is utterly silly, absurd, or without value. It is an informal, somewhat old-fashioned term used to dismiss a statement or action as meaningless or stupid.
Usage Examples
- (His claim is nonsense.)
- (She is speaking foolishly.)
- (That idea is absurd.)
Advanced Usage
"to talk tommy rot": to speak nonsense or make foolish statements.
- Stop talking tommy rot and give me a real answer. (Cease speaking foolishly.)
"to be tommy rot": to be considered utterly foolish.
- His excuse for being late was tommy rot. (His excuse was ridiculous.)
Variants and Related Words
- Tommyrot (alternative spelling): same meaning and usage.
- That's just tommyrot — don't believe it. (That's just nonsense.)
- Rot (n): a synonym for nonsense or rubbish (often used in British English).
- What a load of rot! (What nonsense!)
Synonyms
- Nonsense: ideas or statements that are not true or sensible.
- Rubbish (British informal): worthless or absurd talk.
- Bunkum (formal): insincere or foolish talk.
- Poppycock (informal): meaningless or stupid talk.
Related Idioms
- Load of codswallop (British slang): a lot of nonsense.
- He gave me a load of codswallop about his job. (He told me a lot of nonsense.)
- Bunch of malarkey (informal): foolish or exaggerated talk.
- That whole story is a bunch of malarkey. (That story is nonsense.)
Notes on Usage
- "Tommy rot" is primarily used in British English and is considered somewhat dated or humorous. It is often used to express strong disagreement or dismissal in a lighthearted way.
- It is not commonly used in modern everyday speech but may appear in older literature, comedy, or deliberately old-fashioned contexts.