balderdash Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun trivial nonsense
    fiddle-faddle; piffle.

WordNet


Bal"der*dash noun
Etymology
Of uncertain origin: cf. Dan. balder noise, clatter, and E. dash; hence, perhaps, unmeaning noise, then hodgepodge, mixture; or W. baldorduss a prattling, baldordd, baldorddi, to prattle.
Definitions
  1. A worthless mixture, especially of liquors.
    Indeed beer, by a mixture of wine, hath lost both name and nature, and is called balderdash. Taylor (Drink and Welcome).
  2. Senseless jargon; ribaldry; nonsense; trash.
Bal"der*dash transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To mix or adulterate, as liquors.
    The wine merchants of Nice brew and balderdash, and even mix it with pigeon's dung and quicklime. Smollett.

Webster 1913