nonsense Hear it!

nonsense Definition

non·sense (nän′sens′, nän′səns)

noun

  1. words or actions that convey an absurd meaning or no meaning at all
  2. things of relatively no importance or value; trivialities
  3. impudent, foolish, or evasive behavior

Etymology: non- + sense

adjective

  1. designating or of syllables or words constructed of sounds or symbols arranged arbitrarily so as to have no meaning
  2. of or designating verse, poetry, or other literary composition consisting of words or syllables that convey an absurd meaning or no meaning at all

how foolish; how absurd: an exclamation of impatience, contradiction, contempt, etc.

  • nonselective
  • non-Semitic
nonsense Synonyms

nonsense

n.

  1. Matter that has no meaning

    balderdash, rubbish, twaddle, trash, gobbledygook, drivel, scribble, scrawl, inanity, senselessness, babble, palaver, buncombe, idle chatter, pretense, prattle, blather, nonsensicalness, rant, bombast, claptrap, bull*, baloney*, trash*, gas*, tripe*, hooey*, soft soap*, bunk*, rant*, poppycock*, mumbo jumbo*, gab*, twaddle*, garbage*, rubbish*, hogwash*, rot*, hot air*. *

  2. Frivolous behavior

    unsteadiness, flightiness, thoughtlessness, fickleness, foolishness, fatuousness, giddiness, rashness, infatuation, extravagance, imprudence, irrationality, madness, senselessness, inconsistency, shallowness; see also stupidity 2.

    Antonyms consideration*, steadiness, thoughtfulness. *

  3. Pure fun

    antics, absurdity, jest, joke, monkeybusiness; see also fun.

nonsense Usage Examples

Preposition: on

  • stilt: The third - about Wall Street's ability to reach the stratosphere - is nonsense on stilts... .

Adjective modifier

  • utter: The whole idea of living collectively is just utter nonsense.
  • arrant: I have never heard more arrant nonsense in my life.
  • superstitious: Theists ' beliefs are based on superstitious nonsense with little or no basis in reality.
  • palpable: Browne use of the suggestion that this is in some way a move toward Shariah Law in the UK is palpable nonsense.
  • absolute: The institute's argument was " absolute nonsense " , he said.
  • sheer: It's sheer nonsense to say you love him.

Converse of object

  • spout: Ian did two guided tours of Brawby, spouting unrehearsed nonsense.
  • peddle: I'm reminded yet again of the utter nonsense peddled by our opponents that Liberal Democrats campaign on different issues in different areas.
  • patronize: Who advised the NAEA that this kind of patronizing nonsense would make us like them more?
  • talk: Every time you open your mouth you talk nonsense.
  • believe: Surely there is no-one stupid enough to actually believe this nonsense?
  • speak: Volunteering There's a lot of nonsense spoken about how the youth of many places are only interested in themselves.

Noun used with modifier

  • patent: Adrenaline flows and to say that any human being is in control of themselves in such circumstances is patent nonsense.

Infinitive complement

  • suggest: It is nonsense to suggest that we have been lenient with people assaulting teachers in schools.

Modifies a noun

  • syllable: They tested their theory of interference by giving participants ten nonsense syllables.
  • rhyme: To most it's a delightful nonsense rhyme set to music.
  • mutation: Using advanced forms of sequencing, they were able to identify a nonsense mutation, R501X, in affected individuals.
  • verse: The first book of nonsense verse was The History of Sixteen Wonderful Women, published in 1829.
  • poem: The first verse of the famous nonsense poem " Jabberwocky " was written at Croft.
nonsense Quotes

   It is a safe rule to apply that, when a mathematical or philosophical author writeswith a misty profundity, heis talking nonsense.

—Whitehead, Alfred North

   The pendulum of the mind oscillates between sense and nonsense, not between right and wrong.

—Jung, Carl Gustav

To attempt to export revolution is nonsense.

—Stalin,Joseph originally Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili

This monstrous mixture of imbecility, extravagance and political hysteria, better known as the Bill for the future government of Irelandöthis farrago of superlative nonsense, is to be put in motion for this reason and no other: to gratify the ambition of an old man in a hurry.

—Churchill, Lord Randolph Henry Spencer

Let school-masters puzzle their brain, With grammar, and nonsense, and learning; Good liquor, I stoutly maintain, Gives genius a better discerning.

—Goldsmith, Oliver

   I can hum a fugue of which I've heard the music's din afore, And whistle all the airs from that infernal nonsense Pinafore.

—Gilbert, Sir W(illiam) S(chwenck)

Sure the poet†spewed up a good lump of clotted nonsense at once.

—Dryden,John

'When you say ''hill'','the Queen interrupted,'I could show you hills, in comparison with which you'd call that a valley.' 'No, I shouldn't,'said Alice, surprised into contradicting her at last: 'a hill can't be a valley, you know. That would be nonsenseö' The Red Queen shook her head.'You may call it ''nonsense'' if you like,'shesaid,'but I've heard nonsense, compared with which that would be as sensible as a dictionary!'

—Dodgson

Pure poetry is pure experiment†memorable nonsense.

—Sandys, George

Music says nothing to the reason: it is a kind of closely structured nonsense.

—Wilson

  Nothing is capable of being well set to music that is not nonsense.

—Addison,Joseph

Natural rights is simple nonsense: natural and imprescriptable rights, rhetorical nonsenseönonsense upon stilts.

—Bentham,Jeremy

Polling is merely an instrument for gauging public opinion.When a president or any other leader pays attention to poll results, he is, in effect, paying attention to the views of the people. Any other interpretation is nonsense.

—Gallup, George Horace

All perfect republics are a perfect nonsense.The craving to risk death is our last great perversion.We come from night, we go into night.Why live in night?

—Fowles,John Robert

Protestations of impartiality I shall make none. Theyare always useless and are besides perfect nonsense, when used bya news-monger.

—Cobbett,William

Factsareventriloquist'sdummies. Sittingonawiseman's knee they may be made to utter words of wisdom; elsewhere they say nothing, or talk nonsense.

—Huxley, Aldous Leonard

   My belief is that everything that's written about you is actually secondary showbiz nonsense, and you shouldn't take any notice of it.

—Amis, Martin Louis

Ours is a precarious language, as every writer knows, in which the merest shadow line often separates affirmation from negation, sense from nonsense, and one sex from another.

—Thurber,James Grover

'That sounds like nonsense, my dear.' 'Maybe so, my dear; but it may be very good law for all that.'

—Scott, Sir Walter

   Sceptical scrutiny is the means, in both science and religion, by which deep thoughts can be winnowed from deep nonsense.

—Sagan, Carl Edward

Will yer stop yer tickling, Jock! Oh, stop yer tickling, Jock! Dinna mak'me laugh so hearty, or you'll mak'me choke. Oh! I wish you'd stop yer nonsenseöjust look at all the folk. Will yer stop yer ticklingötickle-ickle-ickle-ingö Stop yer tickling, Jock!

—Lauder, Sir Harry (Hugh MacLennan)