English Explanatory Dictionary

blah

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Nonsense; drivel; idle, meaningless talk.
  2. A general or ambiguous feeling of discomfort, dissatisfaction, uneasiness, boredom, mild depression, etc.
  3. A fool, an idiot.
adj
  1. Dull; uninteresting; insipid.
  2. Low in spirit or health; down.
intj
  1. An expression of mild frustration.
  2. Imitative of idle, meaningless talk; used sometimes in a slightly derogatory manner to mock or downplay another's words, or to show disinterest in a diatribe, rant, instructions, unsolicited advice, parenting, etc. Also used when recalling and retelling another's words, as a substitute for the portions of the speech deemed irrelevant.
  3. Representing the sound of vomiting.
verb
  1. To utter idle, meaningless talk.

Pronunciation

/blɑː/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-blah.wav /bla/

Word forms

blah blahs bla blaa more blah most blah blahing blahed

Etymology

* Sense “Idle, meaningless talk” (1940), probably imitative or echoic in origin. Compare Ancient Greek βαρ-βαρ (bar-bar, “unintelligible sounds”) * Adjective sense “bland, dull” (1919), perhaps influenced by French blasé (“bored, indifferent”). * The blahs (“boredom, mild depression”) first attested 1969; probably a blend of the blues + blah (adjective). * Also may be connected with bleat

Synonyms

bosh bombast rubbish absurdity all my eye all my eye and Betty Martin applesauce bafflegab balderdash balls baloney banana oil Bandini baragouin batcrap batshit bilgewater blah blather blatherskite bobbins bollocks BS bull bullcrap bulldust bull feathers bullshit bullspeak bunk bunkum bushwah clamjamfrey claptrap cobblers codswallop crap crock crock of shit double Dutch double talk doublespeak dribble drivel eyewash fiddle-faddle flapdoodle flim-flam flizz flummery folderol foolishness footle framis fuckery fuckry fudge galimatias Gallophone garbage

Related words

barbarian rhubarb

Derived words

blahg
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