piffle - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

Unknown, 1847. Perhaps blend of piddle +‎ trifle, perhaps puff (“(onomatopoeia, puff of air)”) +‎ -le (“diminutive”).[1]

piffle (uncountable)

  1. Nonsense, foolish talk.
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:nonsense
    • 2008 November 27, “Walking: More than gadding about”, in The Economist‎[1]:
      The wafflier the piffle, the more sharply Mr Nicholson wields his skewer.
    • 2022 May 31, James Vincent, “Boris Johnson’s move to bring back imperial units is pure piffle – and simply unfathomable”, in The Guardian‎[2]:
      The move is obviously pure piffle: a dumbshow designed to placate (or at least entertain) the conservative base while distracting and antagonising rivals.

nonsense, foolish talk

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.
  3. (dated) To be squeamish or delicate.

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

  1. ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2026), “piffle”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.