Dictionary

nonsense en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈnɔn.səns/ (Australia)
• /ˈnɒn.səns/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈnɑn.sɛns/ (Canada, General-American)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Germanic *ne Proto-Indo-European *ís? Proto-Indo-European *h₁óynos Proto-Germanic *ainaz Proto-Germanic *nainaz Proto-West Germanic *nain Old English nān Middle English non ▲ Old English nān Old English nān- Middle English non- English non- Proto-Indo-European *sent-der. Proto-Italic *sentiō Latin sentiō Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Italic *-tus Latin -tus Latin sēnsusbor. Proto-Germanic *sinnaz Frankish *sinnbor. Vulgar Latin *sennus Old French sensbor. Middle English sense English sense English nonsense From non- (“no, none, lack of”) + sense, from c. 1610. Compare the semantically similar West Frisian ûnsin (“nonsense”), Dutch onzin (“nonsense”), German Unsinn (“nonsense”), English unsense (“nonsense”).

Meanings

1. Nonsensical.
2. Resulting from the substitution of a nucleotide in a sense codon, causing it to become a stop codon (not coding for an amino-acid).

Forms

Translations (5)

cmn 無義 /无义 (resulting from the substitution of a nucleotide in a sense codon, causing it to become a stop codon) · es sin sentido (resulting from the substitution of a nucleotide in a sense codon, causing it to become a stop codon) · fr non-sens (resulting from the substitution of a nucleotide in a sense codon, causing it to become a stop codon) · pt sem sentido (resulting from the substitution of a nucleotide in a sense codon, causing it to become a stop codon) · it senza senso (resulting from the substitution of a nucleotide in a sense codon, causing it to become a stop codon)

nonsense en · INTJ

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈnɔn.səns/ (Australia)
• /ˈnɒn.səns/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈnɑn.sɛns/ (Canada, General-American)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Germanic *ne Proto-Indo-European *ís? Proto-Indo-European *h₁óynos Proto-Germanic *ainaz Proto-Germanic *nainaz Proto-West Germanic *nain Old English nān Middle English non ▲ Old English nān Old English nān- Middle English non- English non- Proto-Indo-European *sent-der. Proto-Italic *sentiō Latin sentiō Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Italic *-tus Latin -tus Latin sēnsusbor. Proto-Germanic *sinnaz Frankish *sinnbor. Vulgar Latin *sennus Old French sensbor. Middle English sense English sense English nonsense From non- (“no, none, lack of”) + sense, from c. 1610. Compare the semantically similar West Frisian ûnsin (“nonsense”), Dutch onzin (“nonsense”), German Unsinn (“nonsense”), English unsense (“nonsense”).

Meanings

1. An emphatic rejection of something one has just heard and does not believe or agree with.
   • The operators present this as a passenger benefit by claiming it provides early notice. Nonsense! This just means that passengers can't find any information about the train they thought they were catching. It simply disappears. 2023 January 11, Philip Haigh, “Comment: The worst chaos for 40 years”, in RAIL, number 974, page 4:

Forms

Relateds

missense · non-sense

Translations (17)

eo dirlididi (emphatic rejection) · de papperlapapp (emphatic rejection) · nl onzin (emphatic rejection) · la gerrae! (emphatic rejection) · hu zagyvaság! (emphatic rejection) · hu badarság! (emphatic rejection) · la nugae! (emphatic rejection) · es tonteras (emphatic rejection) · es tonterías (emphatic rejection) · bg глупости (emphatic rejection) · nl lariekoek (emphatic rejection) · hu lárifári! (emphatic rejection) · hu hiszi a piszi! (emphatic rejection) · hu ostobaság! (emphatic rejection) · hu képtelenség! (emphatic rejection) · es que tontería / tontera (emphatic rejection) · fr n'importe quoi ! (emphatic rejection)

nonsense en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈnɔn.səns/ (Australia)
• /ˈnɒn.səns/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈnɑn.sɛns/ (Canada, General-American)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Germanic *ne Proto-Indo-European *ís? Proto-Indo-European *h₁óynos Proto-Germanic *ainaz Proto-Germanic *nainaz Proto-West Germanic *nain Old English nān Middle English non ▲ Old English nān Old English nān- Middle English non- English non- Proto-Indo-European *sent-der. Proto-Italic *sentiō Latin sentiō Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Italic *-tus Latin -tus Latin sēnsusbor. Proto-Germanic *sinnaz Frankish *sinnbor. Vulgar Latin *sennus Old French sensbor. Middle English sense English sense English nonsense From non- (“no, none, lack of”) + sense, from c. 1610. Compare the semantically similar West Frisian ûnsin (“nonsense”), Dutch onzin (“nonsense”), German Unsinn (“nonsense”), English unsense (“nonsense”).

Meanings

1. (uncountable, usually) Letters or words, in writing or speech, that have no meaning or pattern or seem to have no meaning.
   • After my father had a stroke, every time he tried to talk, it sounded like nonsense.
2. (uncountable, usually) An untrue statement.
   • You have seen it for yourselves in the play by Aristophanes, where Socrates goes whirling round, proclaiming that he is walking on air, and uttering a great deal of other nonsense about things of which I know nothing whatsoever. 1954, Plato, translated by Hugh Tredennick, “Socrates on Trial: The Apology”, in The Last Days of Socrates (Penguin Classics), Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Penguin Books, →OCLC, page 21:
   • While at the hospital, David kept screaming and yelling nonsense, stating Vladimir Putin bailed him out of jail and is a god. 2022 April 13, “Man Gets Arrested Twice in One Day”, in Code Blue Cam:
3. (uncountable, usually) That which is silly, illogical and lacks any meaning, reason or value; that which does not make sense.
4. (uncountable, usually) Something foolish.
   • and central banks lend vast sums against marshmallow backed securities, or other nonsenses creative bankers dreamed up. 2008 October 9, “Nick Leeson has some lessons for this collapse”, in Telegraph.co.uk:
5. (uncountable, usually) A type of poetry that contains strange or surreal ideas, as, for example, that written by Edward Lear.
6. (uncountable, usually) A damaged DNA sequence whose products are not biologically active, that is, that does nothing.

Forms

Deriveds

nonsense syndrome · nonsensification · what nonsense · QAnonsense · non-nonsense · nonsensely · beyonsense · nonsensity · diagnonsense · stuff and nonsense · nonsensify · no-nonsense · nonsense mutation · nonsense-mediated decay · nonsense word · abstract nonsense · nonsensical · nonsensic · nonnonsense

Synonyms

whiff-whaff · Greek · fudge · balderdash · fiddle-faddle · bosh · flizz · blah-blah-blah · guff · jimjam · untruth (untrue statement) · hokum · humbug · word salad · galimatias · rubbish (untrue statement) · gobbledygook · bobbins · shit · malarkey · squit · bunk · foolishness · prattle · doublespeak · framis · nonsense · folderol · Gallophone · jibber-jabber · moonshine · crap · horse hockey · gossip · clamjamfrey · bollocks · bushwah · put-on · horsefeathers · poppycock · jive · gibberish · garbage · flim-flam · stuff · horseshit · batcrap · pie in the sky · nertz · crock · stupidity (that which is silly, illogical) · mumbo jumbo · falsehood (untrue statement) · blatherskite · rot · double Dutch · bullspeak · jabberwocky · gash · garble · cobblers · rhubarb · all my eye and Betty Martin · silliness (that which is silly, illogical) · trittle trattle · pigswill · baloney · Bandini · double talk · batshit · crock of shit · blah-blah · rhubarb rhubarb · absurdity (untrue statement) · baragouin · twaddle · ruse · bafflegab · blah · bull feathers · blather · contradiction (that which is silly, illogical) · hocus-pocus · macaroni · all my eye · tosh (untrue statement) · flapdoodle · bunkum · gup · balls · hogwash · absurdity (that which is silly, illogical) · horse puckey · lallation · fuckry · footle · hoax · lie (untrue statement) · flummery · skimble-skamble · tush · hooey · santorum · drivel · bilgewater · BS · applesauce · tommy-rot · apple grease · bull · dribble · horse piss · Irish bull · meaninglessness · jabber · shite · horse cock · rigmarole · gibber · piffle · unreasoning (that which is silly, illogical) · bullcrap · tripe · claptrap · eyewash · fuckery · banana oil · stuff and nonsense · wass · bullshit · trash · codswallop · manure · bulldust · junk · jargon

Translations (280)

es contrasentido (meaningless words) · es infundio (untrue statement) · ko 난센스 (meaningless words) · it corbelleria (meaningless words) · kk шатпақ (meaningless words) · ru ерунда́ (untrue statement) · sh budaláština (untrue statement) · he איגיון (type of poetry) · ro nonsens (meaningless words) · gl lerdez (untrue statement) · de Nonsens (untrue statement) · gl secatura (untrue statement) · be но́нсэнс (meaningless words) · gl doudice (meaningless words) · gl arnada (meaningless words) · ckb قسەی ھیچوپوچ (meaningless words) · fi valhe (untrue statement) · pt sem sentido (damaged DNA sequence) · hu ostobaság (untrue statement) · uk абсу́рд (meaningless words) · eo sensencaĵo (untrue statement) · ru околе́сица (meaningless words) · ko 개소리 (meaningless words) · is rugl (meaningless words) · ro nerozii (untrue statement) · la muscerdae (meaningless words) · fi siansaksa (meaningless words) · hu nonszensz (type of poetry) · es tontuna (something foolish) · gl gofeiza (untrue statement) · fr bêtise (meaningless words) · it ridicolaggine (meaningless words) · ca estirabot (meaningless words) · es bulo (untrue statement) · it senza senso (meaningless words) · mk глу́пост (meaningless words) · fr absurdité (meaningless words) · gd amaideas (meaningless words) · pl absurd (meaningless words) · fa بیمعنی (meaningless words) · ka სისულელე (meaningless words) · cmn 廢話 /废话 (meaningless words) · bo བྱབ་མེད (meaningless words) · cmn 廢話 /废话 (untrue statement) · hy աբսուրդ (meaningless words) · es sinsentido (meaningless words) · it scemenza (untrue statement) · fi puuta heinää (untrue statement) · ga seafóid (meaningless words) · pl bezsens (meaningless words) · fi pöty (untrue statement) · ca despropòsit (untrue statement) · ka უაზრობა (something foolish) · bo བྱབ་ཆུང (something foolish) · mi kohe (meaningless words) · gd sgudal (untrue statement) · pt burrice (untrue statement) · fi lööperi (untrue statement) · mnc ᡶᡳᠶᠣᡴᠣᠨ (meaningless words) · pt disparate (meaningless words) · ota صاچمه (meaningless words) · es tontada (something foolish) · ka სისულელე (something foolish) · es bobada (something foolish) · tl sagimuymoy (meaningless words) · kw flows (untrue statement) · sk nezmysel (meaningless words) · fi roskapuhe (untrue statement) · hy անհեթեթություն (meaningless words) · id nonsens (meaningless words) · fa چرت (meaningless words) · ko 무의미 (meaningless words) · ko 어리석은 소리 (meaningless words) · sv strunt (meaningless words) · nb tullprat (meaningless words) · da nonsens (meaningless words) · hu zagyvaság (meaningless words) · fi vale (untrue statement) · hu badarság (untrue statement) · id omong kosong (meaningless words) · cs nonsens (type of poetry) · pt besteira (meaningless words) · cy lol (meaningless words) · is bull (meaningless words) · cmn 胡言 (meaningless words) · sh nesmisao (untrue statement) · fi nonsense-runous (type of poetry) · ru вздор (meaningless words) · fr n'importe quoi (untrue statement) · gd sgudal (meaningless words) · ru абсу́рд (meaningless words) · es gaita (meaningless words) · bg безсмислица (meaningless words) · it idiozia (meaningless words) · az çərən-pərən (meaningless words) · grc φλυαρία (meaningless words) · bo ཆོ་མེད (meaningless words) · sq ádra (meaningless words) · sh glúpōst (meaningless words) · fi puppu (untrue statement) · tr palavra (untrue statement) · ja でたらめ (untrue statement) · ca bajanada (meaningless words) · ja 無意味 (meaningless words) · de Blödsinn (meaningless words) · tt сафсата (meaningless words) · nl nonsens (meaningless words) · fi hölynpöly (untrue statement) · ga bundún (something foolish) · gd amaideas (untrue statement) · da vrøvl (meaningless words) · sq palidhje (meaningless words) · kw flows (meaningless words) · be бяссэ́нсіца (meaningless words) · es tontería (something foolish) · la gerrae (meaningless words) · it baggianata (untrue statement) · es dislate (meaningless words) · mi kutukutuahi (meaningless words) · fi palturi (untrue statement) · tt сафсата (untrue statement) · cmn 狗屁 (meaningless words) · th ความเพ้อเจ้อ (meaningless words) · fa چرند (meaningless words) · it fesseria (meaningless words) · he שטויות (meaningless words) · sv nonsens (untrue statement) · it stupidaggine (meaningless words) · cmn 胡言 (untrue statement) · sw upuuzi (meaningless words) · es gilipollez (something foolish) · es trola (untrue statement) · sh bèsmislica (meaningless words) · gl asneira (untrue statement) · it priva di significato (meaningless words) · tr saçmalık (untrue statement) · nl flauwekul (meaningless words) · ka ნონსენსი (meaningless words) · it balla (untrue statement) · fi hölynpöly (meaningless words) · km សំដីរហាច (meaningless words) · it cazzata (meaningless words) · es sandez (something foolish) · fo tvætl (untrue statement) · sh nèistina (untrue statement) · fr sottise (s) (untrue statement) · es chorrada (something foolish) · pl niedorzeczność (meaningless words) · tg ҳарза (meaningless words) · el ανοησίες (meaningless words) · ar لَغْو (meaningless words) · fo møsn (meaningless words) · ka აბდაუბდა (meaningless words) · mi rūpahu (untrue statement) · az cəfəngiyat (meaningless words) · ml അസംബന്ധം (untrue statement) · pt bobagem (untrue statement) · de Unsinn (untrue statement) · cmn 狗屁 (untrue statement) · ar هُرَاء (meaningless words) · it cavolata (meaningless words) · fa یاوه (meaningless words) · cmn 胡說 /胡说 (meaningless words) · fi nonsense (type of poetry) · uk дурни́ця (meaningless words) · hi बकवास (meaningless words) · ru но́нсенс (untrue statement) · mk бесми́слица (meaningless words) · la nūgae (meaningless words) · ro prostie (untrue statement) · fr non-sens (damaged DNA sequence) · sq gjepura (meaningless words) · kk сандырақ (meaningless words) · it privo di senso (meaningless words) · de Unsinn (meaningless words) · uk но́нсенс (meaningless words) · pl bajdura (meaningless words) · bo ཆོ་མེད (something foolish) · es majadería (something foolish) · fi roska (untrue statement) · sq dokrra (meaningless words) · it assurdità (meaningless words) · km អំពើភ្លីភ្លើ (meaningless words) · es despropósito (meaningless words) · de Tüddelkram (meaningless words) · it fandonia (untrue statement) · pl androny (meaningless words) · pt besteira (untrue statement) · fi nonsense-jakso (damaged DNA sequence) · ru бессмы́слица (untrue statement) · be абсу́рд (meaningless words) · it minchiata (meaningless words) · nl onzin (meaningless words) · el βλακείες (meaningless words) · nb nonsens (meaningless words) · es desbarro (meaningless words) · ro absurditate (meaningless words) · ca disbarat (meaningless words) · es pamema (meaningless words) · pt burrice (meaningless words) · cy lol (untrue statement) · de Unfug (something foolish) · th การเพ้อเจ้อ (meaningless words) · da sludder (meaningless words) · ru вздор (untrue statement) · es estólido (meaningless words) · es pamplina (meaningless words) · mk глу́пост (untrue statement) · es tontera (something foolish) · ga brilléis (meaningless words) · mi kūrapa (meaningless words) · ga amaidí (meaningless words) · ka უგუნურება (something foolish) · ur بکواس (meaningless words) · it sciocchezza (meaningless words) · tr saçmalık (meaningless words) · da nonsens (untrue statement) · de Nonsens (meaningless words) · it a vanvera (meaningless words) · uk безглу́здя (meaningless words) · gl lastrada (meaningless words) · ru ерунда́ (meaningless words) · es necedad (something foolish) · ka უაზრო (meaningless words) · ml അസംബന്ധം (meaningless words) · bo བྱབ་མེད (something foolish) · it coglionata (meaningless words) · be бязглу́здзіца (meaningless words) · hu képtelenség (untrue statement) · kea asnera (untrue statement) · es paparrucha (untrue statement) · ja ナンセンス (meaningless words) · nb snikksnakk (meaningless words) · it fola (untrue statement) · ru бессмы́слица (meaningless words) · uk нісені́тниця (meaningless words) · es parida (meaningless words) · he חנטריש (meaningless words) · sv nonsens (meaningless words) · hu nonszensz (untrue statement) · ru чепуха́ (meaningless words) · hu szamárság (untrue statement) · fa مهمل (meaningless words) · gl falcatrúa (meaningless words) · eo absurdaĵo (meaningless words) · es bobera (something foolish) · ga áiféis (meaningless words) · gl babosada (untrue statement) · cs nesmysl (untrue statement) · nb vås (meaningless words) · ru но́нсенс (meaningless words) · mi ngutungutuahi (meaningless words) · fi pajunköysi (untrue statement) · bo བྱབ་ཆུང (meaningless words) · cmn 胡說 /胡说 (untrue statement) · ca bestiesa (meaningless words) · es disparate (meaningless words) · fo tvætl (meaningless words) · gl norrada (meaningless words) · ro nonsensuri (meaningless words) · ja 馬鹿げた事 (meaningless words) · pl bzdura (meaningless words) · ru ахине́я (untrue statement) · gl patochada (meaningless words) · ro nerozie (untrue statement) · pl nonsens (meaningless words) · hu halandzsa (meaningless words) · nb vrøvl (meaningless words) · cs nesmysl (meaningless words) · ka უაზრობა (meaningless words) · et jamps (meaningless words) · fi potaska (untrue statement) · ru ахине́я (meaningless words) · de Quatsch (meaningless words) · ko 헛소리 (meaningless words) · eo sensencaĵo (meaningless words) · az tartan-partan (meaningless words) · pt bobagem (meaningless words) · pt nonsense (type of poetry) · fr connerie (untrue statement)

nonsense en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈnɔn.səns/ (Australia)
• /ˈnɒn.səns/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈnɑn.sɛns/ (Canada, General-American)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Germanic *ne Proto-Indo-European *ís? Proto-Indo-European *h₁óynos Proto-Germanic *ainaz Proto-Germanic *nainaz Proto-West Germanic *nain Old English nān Middle English non ▲ Old English nān Old English nān- Middle English non- English non- Proto-Indo-European *sent-der. Proto-Italic *sentiō Latin sentiō Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Italic *-tus Latin -tus Latin sēnsusbor. Proto-Germanic *sinnaz Frankish *sinnbor. Vulgar Latin *sennus Old French sensbor. Middle English sense English sense English nonsense From non- (“no, none, lack of”) + sense, from c. 1610. Compare the semantically similar West Frisian ûnsin (“nonsense”), Dutch onzin (“nonsense”), German Unsinn (“nonsense”), English unsense (“nonsense”).

Meanings

1. To make nonsense of;
   • At the Haymarket all this is nonsensed by an endeavor to steer between Mr. Stanley Weyman's rights as author of the story and the prescriptive right of the leading actor to fight popularly and heroically against heavy odds. a. 1909, Bernard Shaw, “The Red Robe”, in James Huneker, editor, Dramatic Opinions and Essays by G. Bernard Shaw, volume 2, page 73:
2. To attempt to dismiss as nonsense; to ignore or belittle the significance of something; to render unimportant or puny.
   • "They haven't nonsensed these workouts. They've taken them and used them very well. I didn't know how they'd respond, but they've responded." 1997 June 3, “Rockies respond to whip”, in Denver Post:
   • He further nonsensed press suggestions that the Petroleum Unit was set up to assist in the administration of sporting activities. 2006 March 17, “Sierra Leone: Petroleum Unit Calls for Auditing”, in AllAfrica.com:
   • Very commanding: very much 'end of this nonsensing'. Mister Fared spread his hands and shook his thin head imperceptibly, as if to say he understood. 2000, Leon Garfield, Jason Cockcroft, Jack Holborn, page 131:
3. (intransitive) To joke around, to waste time
   • When he meant "go and get one" he said to go and get one, with no nonsensing around about "liking" to get one. 1963, C. F. Griffin, The Impermanence of Heroes, page 170:

Forms

Synonyms

pooh-pooh · rubbish · belittle · dismiss