piffle
English
WOTD – 4 December 2009
Etymology
Unknown, 1847. Perhaps blend of piddle + trifle, perhaps puff (“(onomatopoeia, puff of air)”) + -le (“diminutive”).[1]
Pronunciation
- (UK, US) IPA(key): /ˈpɪf.əl/
Audio (AU) (file) - Rhymes: -ɪfəl
Noun
piffle (uncountable)
- Nonsense, foolish talk.
- 1998, The Economist, Walking: More than gadding about
- The wafflier the piffle, the more sharply Mr Nicholson wields his skewer.
- 1998, The Economist, Walking: More than gadding about
Synonyms
- See also Thesaurus:nonsense
Translations
nonsense, foolish talk
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Verb
piffle (third-person singular simple present piffles, present participle piffling, simple past and past participle piffled)
- To act or speak in a futile, ineffective, or nonsensical manner.
- To waste, to fritter away.
- (dated) To be squeamish or delicate.
Synonyms
- (act or speak in a futile manner): trifle, twaddle
Translations
to act or speak in a futile, ineffective, or nonsensical manner
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References
- “piffle” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2001–2019.