Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.
yarbles en · INTJ
Pronunciation
Etymology
Yarbles was coined by Anthony Burgess in 1962, when he introduced it as slang for "testicles" within the invented dialect Nadsat of his dystopian novel A Clockwork Orange. The word is generally understood to be a derivation from Russian яблоко (jabloko, “apple”), owing to the variant form "yarblockos" used within the same novel. Jabloko does not have the equivalent vulgar connotation among Russian speakers, although яйца (jajca, literally “eggs”) does, which may have influenced the word. Green's Dictionary of Slang posits an possible alternate origin as yarb + balls: a combination of the antiquated, sometimes-derogatory English dialect word "yarb" with the vulgar colloquialism "balls". Others have suggested a connection to marbles via the methods of English rhyming slang.
Meanings
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(colloquial, euphemistic, possibly, vulgar) Expressing disgust, annoyance, frustration, or disapproval.
"Oh, yarbles," Micky whispered. "This really is a bitch, isn't it?"
1999, Marjorie Dorner, Seasons of Sun & Rain: A Novel, 1st edition, Minneapolis: Milkweed Editions, →ISBN, page 96:"God knows, does He?" grinned Andy, unfazed. "Why hasn't He struck me dead then, kiddo?"
Chris looked at him. "Just because He hasn't yet doesn't mean He won't. I hope I'm not standing next to you when it happens, that's all."
"Yarbles!"
1996, Robert Swindells, Last Bus, London: Puffin Books, published 2001, →ISBN, pages 53–54:
Forms
wikipedia: Nadsat · wikipedia: rhyming slang · wikipedia: Green's Dictionary of Slang
yarbles en · NOUN
Pronunciation
Etymology
Yarbles was coined by Anthony Burgess in 1962, when he introduced it as slang for "testicles" within the invented dialect Nadsat of his dystopian novel A Clockwork Orange. The word is generally understood to be a derivation from Russian яблоко (jabloko, “apple”), owing to the variant form "yarblockos" used within the same novel. Jabloko does not have the equivalent vulgar connotation among Russian speakers, although яйца (jajca, literally “eggs”) does, which may have influenced the word. Green's Dictionary of Slang posits an possible alternate origin as yarb + balls: a combination of the antiquated, sometimes-derogatory English dialect word "yarb" with the vulgar colloquialism "balls". Others have suggested a connection to marbles via the methods of English rhyming slang.
Meanings
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(plural, plural-normally, slang, vulgar) Testicles.
I mean, who could ever forget the touching moment in [The] Monster Squad when a pre-teenager kicks the Wolfman in the nuts and utters the classic line "The Wolfman has yarbles!"
1988 March, Ed Naha, “1987: The Movies”, in Science Fiction Chronicle, volume 9, number 6, New York: Algol Press, →ISSN, page 40:"Come and get one in the yarbles, if you have any yarbles, you eunuch jelly, thou."
1962, Anthony Burgess, A Clockwork Orange, 1st edition, London: William Heinemann, page 16:
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(figuratively, mildly, plural, plural-normally, slang, uncountable, vulgar) Courage, fortitude, or machismo.
"I'm not worried. This kid's got giant yarbles."
"Giant yarbles make bigger targets," I say. "Maybe he ought to wear more than a loincloth."
Ockham laughs. Slaps me on the back. "Didn't know you had a sense of humor, chief."
2010, David Macinnis Gill, Black Hole Sun, 1st pbk. edition, New York: Greenwillow Books, published 2012, →ISBN, page 142:
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(euphemistic, mildly, plural, plural-normally, slang, uncountable, vulgar) Nonsense; something of unacceptably poor quality.
Well, my droogs, this is a load of yarbles. Right now at New World Stages, a risible British adaptation of A Clockwork Orange is doing a bit of the old ultraviolence to its audience.
2017 September 25, Helen Shaw, “A Clockwork Orange”, in Time Out, New York:
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(euphemistic, mildly, plural, plural-normally, slang, uncountable, vulgar) Information that is false or otherwise misleading.
James Brown looked a tool on C4's Withnail Weekend. Brown's crew at Loaded was credited with inventing the Withnail drinking game "I Demand to Have Some Booze". Utter yarbles. Fact: the game, where viewers simultaneously enjoy beverages identical to those consumed by characters on screen, was introduced by a journalist on the Evening Standard's London Life section in the mid-1980s.
1999 August 1, “Pandora”, in The Independent, London:
Forms
Synonyms
squit · fudge · chutzpah · put-on · prattle · hooey · jargon · cojones · valor · flapdoodle · gibberish · framis · bullcrap · santorum · horse hockey · banana oil · intrepidness · nertz · Irish bull · all my eye and Betty Martin · trittle trattle · drivel · ruse · garbage · bollocks · heart · tosh · hocus-pocus · horsefeathers · balls · bullshit · gibber · bravery · valour · guts · audacity · moonshine · jive · nonsense · trash · galimatias · hokum · balls · tush · guff · bollocks · bull feathers · bobbins · rhubarb rhubarb · Bandini · humbug · bull · word salad · footle · Greek · flim-flam · absurdity · applesauce · whiff-whaff · horse cock · bullspeak · bilgewater · apple grease · steel · jabberwocky · crock of shit · junk · undauntedness · misinformation · guts · batshit · bunk · dribble · baragouin · pie in the sky · horseshit · braveness · meaninglessness · gossip · folderol · batcrap · double talk · malarkey · shite · grit · poppycock · fiddle-faddle · flizz · codswallop · flummery · stuff and nonsense · intrepidity · doublespeak · jimjam · horseshit · eyewash · fuckery · bosh · rot · mumbo jumbo · mood · bunkum · bushwah · skimble-skamble · balderdash · jabber · all my eye · crap · nerve · bield · claptrap · blah-blah-blah · piffle · macaroni · fearlessness · spunk · blah-blah · bollocks · gup · pluck · blah · foolishness · gash · boldness · horse piss · lallation · bollocks · bafflegab · rhubarb · balls · cobblers · bulldust · courageousness · hoax · horse puckey · hogwash · nerve · BS · jibber-jabber · tripe · daring · clamjamfrey · pigswill · blatherskite · twaddle · pecker · rigmarole · double Dutch · bravehood · tommy-rot · fuckry · rubbish · bullshit · ovaries · boldhead · stuff · baloney · Gallophone · garble · courage · blather · manure · shit · gobbledygook · wass · crock
wikipedia: Nadsat · wikipedia: rhyming slang · wikipedia: Green's Dictionary of Slang