piffle

WOTD - 4 December 2009    

English

Etymology

Unknown, 1847. Perhaps blend of piddle and trifle, perhaps puff (“(onomatopoeia, puff of air)”) +‎ -le (“diminutive”).

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA: /ˈpɪf.əl/, SAMPA: /pIf.@l/
• Rhymes: -ɪfəl

Noun

piffle (uncountable)

1. Nonsense, foolish talk.

Synonyms

• See also Wikisaurus:nonsense

Translations

nonsense, foolish talk

Finnish: höpinä (fi), höpötys (fi) French: babil (fr), logorrhée (fr), diarrhée verbale (fr), déconnage (fr), bafouillage (fr), jargon (fr), baragouin (fr) Italian: scemenze (it) f., sciocchezze (it), stupidaggini (it)

Portuguese: conversa fútil (pt) f. Russian: чепуха (ru) f., болтовня (ru) f., вздор (ru) m. Spanish: parloteo (es), chapurreo (es), chamullo (es), cháchara (es), jerga (es), jerigonza (es) Welsh: malu awyr (cy)

Verb

piffle (third-person singular simple present piffles, present participle piffling, simple past and past participle piffled)

1. To act or speak in a futile, ineffective, or nonsensical manner.
2. To waste, to fritter away.

Synonyms

• (act or speak in a futile manner): trifle, twaddle

Translations

to act or speak in a futile, ineffective, or nonsensical manner

Finnish: hölmöillä (fi), höperehtiä (fi) French: babiller (fr), vaticiner (fr), déconner (fr), péter les plombs (fr), baragouiner (fr), jargonner (fr) German: quatschen (de) Italian: cicalare (it), chiacchierare (it)

Polish: mówić bzdury (pl), zachowywać się głupio (pl) Russian: нести чушь (ru), болтать вздор (ru) Spanish: parlotear (es), chamullar (es), chacharear (es), chapurrar (es), chapurrear (es), farfullar (es)