Buzz
If the term B.S. has become a staple in your vocabulary lately, it’s time for a change. Discover 19 charming, antiquated phrases from across the United States, sourced from the Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE).
1. Fiddle on a Broomstick
In Vermont, when you need to dismiss something as nonsense, go beyond fiddlesticks with the phrase, “Fiddle on a broomstick!” Alternatively, try saying fiddle up a gum tree.
2. Fairydiddle
Originating in Nebraska, this term is a playful twist on taradiddle, as noted by DARE, and may draw inspiration from the notion of a “fairy tale.” The word taradiddle, referring to a lie or fib, dates back to around 1796, according to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), and by the 1970s, it also came to signify pretentious or meaningless chatter.
3. Fahdoodle
A modern take on an older term, fa’doodle has roots in British English from approximately 1670, according to the OED, while fahdoodle was documented in New York during the 1870s. It shares a connection with the 19th-century term flapdoodle.
4. Malolly
“That’s a heap of malolly!” you might exclaim when someone is clearly exaggerating. This expression is popular in Georgia and Indiana, with variations like malollypop and molly.
5. Gurry
In Maryland, this term refers to rubbish or nonsense, but it also has historical meanings such as “diarrhea” from 16th-century British English and “fish offal” from 19th-century U.S. whaling terminology, as noted by the OED.
6. Bull Durham
A New York City euphemism, this phrase also doubles as a tobacco brand. For more refined ways to call out B.S., consider bullfeathers in Arkansas or bullcorn in Texas.
7. Bushwa
This somewhat antiquated Northern expression emerged around 1920, according to the OED. DARE suggests it’s likely a euphemism for B.S., possibly influenced by the Canadian-French terms bois de vache, meaning “buffalo dung,” or bois de cheval, meaning “horse dung.”
8. and 9. Donkey Dust and Heifer Dust
The term dust serves as a genteel substitute for “manure.” Thus, donkey dust and heifer dust literally refer to dung from a donkey and heifer, respectively, while figuratively offering a polite way to call out bulls**t. Donkey dust originates from Massachusetts, while heifer dust comes from the Ozarks.
10. Bottlewash
Instead of exclaiming “Hogwash!” you might opt for “Bottlewash!” But what exactly is hogwash? The OED explains that it initially described kitchen scraps fed to pigs, later referred to inferior alcohol, and eventually came to mean something absurd or nonsensical.
11. Applesauce
In the 1920s, applesauce took on a meaning beyond its culinary roots, as noted by DARE. It can also denote insincere praise or outright lies, according to the OED. The term is credited to Thomas Aloysius Dorgan, a cartoonist and sports writer known for coining slang phrases that gained popularity in newspapers both domestically and internationally.
12. Balooey
A Texan might shout “Balooey!” if they suspect you’re being untruthful. This playful term combines baloney and hooey. The word baloney, meaning “nonsense,” dates back to around 1928, per the OED, while hooey emerged in 1924.
13. Bosh
Primarily used in the South, South Midland, and Northeast, bosh entered the English language in the 19th century. It derives from the Turkish word bosh, meaning empty or worthless, and gained popularity in English through its appearance in the novel Ayesha, the Maid of Kars by British author and diplomat James Justinian Morier.
14. Cush
If you encounter nonsense in Virginia, you might respond with, “That’s a load of cush.” According to DARE, this term for nonsense or rubbish may be linked to cush, a southern dish made from cornmeal or cornbread that can be either sweet or savory.
15. Fush
In New England, instead of using cush, locals say fush to mean “nonsense.” For added flair, you might exclaim, “Fush to Bungtown!”
16. Flabberdegaz
If someone from the Northwest accuses you of being full of flabberdegaz, take heed: they’re suggesting you’re indulging in “vain imaginings in speech,” as DARE explains. The term likely stems from flabbergast, meaning to confuse or astonish, and may also be linked to flabberdegasky, a whimsical 19th-century word.
17. Flummadiddle
Beyond meaning nonsense or foolishness, flummadiddle refers to a traditional New England dish made from “stale bread, pork fat, molasses, water, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves,” according to DARE. It’s described as a “type of mush, baked in the oven."
18. Flapdoodle
In the realm of peculiar foods, flapdoodle (sometimes spelled flapdaddle) is described by DARE as “an imaginary dish for fools,” as well as a synonym for “nonsense.” As seen in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain: “He stands up ... and delivers a tearful, nonsensical speech full of flapdoodle.”
19. Flubdub
Flub-a-dub-dub, a term for pompous or clumsy language, has been part of U.S. English since at least 1888, according to the OED. Former president Theodore Roosevelt famously used it to criticize his successor (and former ally) William Howard Taft, calling him “A flubdub with a streak of mediocrity and commonness in him.”
