nonsense

See also: non-sense

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From non- + sense, from c. 1610.

Pronunciation

  • (General American) IPA(key): /ˈnɑnsɛns/
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈnɒnsəns/
  • (file)
  • Hyphenation: non‧sense
  • Rhymes: -ɛns

Noun

nonsense (usually uncountable, plural nonsenses)

  1. 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. An untrue statement.
    He says that I stole his computer, but that's just nonsense.
  3. That which is silly, illogical and lacks any meaning, reason or value; that which does not make sense.
  4. Something foolish.
    • 2008 October 9, “Nick Leeson has some lessons for this collapse”, in Telegraph.co.uk:
      and central banks lend vast sums against marshmallow backed securities, or other nonsenses creative bankers dreamed up.
  5. (literature) A type of poetry that contains strange or surreal ideas, as, for example, that written by Edward Lear.
  6. (biology) A damaged DNA sequence whose products are not biologically active, that is, that does nothing.

Synonyms

  1. See Thesaurus:nonsense
  2. Synonyms: falsehood, lie, untruth, absurdity, rubbish, tosh
  3. Synonyms: absurdity, silliness, contradiction, stupidity, unreasoning

Derived terms

Terms derived from the noun "nonsense"

Translations

Verb

nonsense (third-person singular simple present nonsenses, present participle nonsensing, simple past and past participle nonsensed)

  1. To make nonsense of;
    • a. 1909, Bernard Shaw, “The Red Robe”, in James Huneker, editor, Dramatic Opinions and Essays by G. Bernard Shaw, volume 2, page 73:
      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.
  2. To attempt to dismiss as nonsense; to ignore or belittle the significance of something; to render unimportant or puny.
    • 1997 June 3, “Rockies respond to whip”, in Denver Post:
      "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."
    • 2000, Leon Garfield, Jason Cockcroft, Jack Holborn, page 131:
      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.
    • 2006 March 17, “Sierra Leone: Petroleum Unit Calls for Auditing”, in AllAfrica.com:
      He further nonsensed press suggestions that the Petroleum Unit was set up to assist in the administration of sporting activities.
  3. (intransitive) To joke around, to waste time
    • 1963, C. F. Griffin, The Impermanence of Heroes, page 170:
      When he meant "go and get one" he said to go and get one, with no nonsensing around about "liking" to get one.

Synonyms

  1. Synonyms: belittle, dwarf, dismiss,

Adjective

nonsense (comparative more nonsense, superlative most nonsense)

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

Translations

Interjection

nonsense

  1. An expression of disbelief or doubt at what one has just heard.

Translations

See also


Finnish

Noun

nonsense

  1. nonsense (type of poetry)

Declension

Inflection of nonsense (Kotus type 8/nalle, no gradation)
nominative nonsense nonsenset
genitive nonsensen nonsensejen
partitive nonsensea nonsenseja
illative nonsenseen nonsenseihin
singular plural
nominative nonsense nonsenset
accusative nom. nonsense nonsenset
gen. nonsensen
genitive nonsensen nonsensejen
nonsenseinrare
partitive nonsensea nonsenseja
inessive nonsensessa nonsenseissa
elative nonsensesta nonsenseista
illative nonsenseen nonsenseihin
adessive nonsensella nonsenseilla
ablative nonsenselta nonsenseilta
allative nonsenselle nonsenseille
essive nonsensena nonsenseina
translative nonsenseksi nonsenseiksi
instructive nonsensein
abessive nonsensetta nonsenseitta
comitative nonsenseineen

Mauritian Creole

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /nɒnsɛns/

Etymology

From English nonsense.

Noun

nonsense

  1. nonsense

Alternative forms

  • nonsens
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